


Finding

by MARVEL_DC_HEART_THROBS



Series: Eddsworld: Different Start [2]
Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Bottom tord, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Crossdressing, M/M, Time Travel, Top Tom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 55
Words: 72,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23984059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MARVEL_DC_HEART_THROBS/pseuds/MARVEL_DC_HEART_THROBS
Summary: Tord always knew that he was different.He had always been different.And this difference made it hard for him to understand some things which for others would be quite rather easy to comprehend.*****************************This is the Prequel for: Reincarnation in Another Universe. I mean, this is where Tord basically came from before he got into the Star Wars Universe and became a Jedi.
Relationships: Matt/Tord (Eddsworld), Patryck & Paul (Eddsworld), Patryck/Paul (Eddsworld), Tom/Tord (Eddsworld)
Series: Eddsworld: Different Start [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729315
Comments: 10
Kudos: 77





	1. Different

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> This is my second time writing an Eddsworld Fanfic and all the characters written here are fictional and are not in any way connected to real people. 
> 
> This story is somehow connected to the earlier fic that I made, "Asher's Story," which would be set in an Alternate Universe that would deviate a bit from the Canon Eddsworld-media type. That said, I'm not sure yet on what to name this AU.
> 
> Warning: Tord's hair color here won't be following the canon dark blond or brown hair set-up. The difference of hair color would be explained in further chapters.

He’s different.

He had always been different.

He knew that fact from the very day he was able to start having any form of thought.

What’s more was that the people around him during those earlier times were even willing enough to rub this truth in front of his face. Not minding. Not caring if the being they were talking to even properly understood what they were saying.

He knew.

He always knew.

He wasn’t even supposed to be born anyway.

That’s why they never cared.

An abomination.

A monster.

He wasn’t a Larsson.

He was a messed-up product conceived after a one night stand his mother had.

Which was why she took him out of her and tried to leave him for death.

Nonetheless, he survived.

He was still able to live without her for a couple of days even with his severely under developed body. Thriving merely on the meager components his body had; decidedly burning itself up to prolong what was to come.

Up until “ ** _He_** ” found out and had ordered him to be taken in. Put under observation and made into a test subject.

“As much as he was a mistake, the results from his body could still be taken into consideration,” **_he_** said.

He was not a Larsson but the findings that they had obtained from him were enough to get the clan both pleased and wary of his existence.

Hence, for a number of years he was trapped.

Confined in a laboratory and experimented on repeatedly.

From his physical capabilities up until his mental capacity; all of him was tested and subjected to numerous trials that to any normal man it would have broken them.

It should have broken him.

And yet…It was what made him who he was.

He never had an identity before.

All he knew was the pain and that he was different, unwanted and unloved.

What was there to break when everything was already the way it was from the very beginning?

* * *

“Sir?”

“Sir???”

“Tord!?’

Snapping out of his thoughts, the ruminating man looked up from the large cylindrical glass that he was looking at and turned to the person addressing him.

“What is it, Thomas?” The silvernette tiredly queried the brunet as he rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“Are you okay?”

His only functional eye widening at the sudden question, the Norwegian was tempted to tease the Brit for caring about him when a sudden cold draft reminded the tired male of the solemnity of their current situation.

He was here.

In this place that served as his prison for the first few years of his life.

Tord then blinked his surprise away and clenched his hand. “I’m fine, Thomas.”

“You don’t look okay to me,” the spiky haired brunet argued as he crossed his arms and pressed him for answers.

“Tho—No, Tom. Tom, please…I don’t want to talk about it,” the Norski begged as he looked away from the other’s prying visor covered eyes.

Expecting the other to be either frustrated or angry, Tord never thought that the Brit would instead pull him into his arms. “Tom, what ar—”

The kiss Thomas gave was so soft and gentle that for some reason the silvernette’s brain short circuited. With it, instead of being mad for the surprise that he had gotten, the one-eyed man could only haplessly let his partner have his way with him until the other was fully satisfied.

“Are you okay now?” Tom asked as he pulled away and began peppering light kisses to the other’s sensitive neck.

Tord was livid. Incredibly so.

They were here. In the very place he hated so much and yet a single kiss from the bloody Jehovah was enough to render him in compliance.

He was a god damned ruler. A commander of millions.

And yet, a single man was capable of making him squirm and moan just because of…

Stopping the thought, he pushed Thomas away and internally berated himself for being so weak.

He shouldn’t be so weak.

He was a monster.

An abomination.

A ruler.

The Norwegian made up his mind and walked away. Leaving the displeased man with the orders of burning everything down.

Burning this whole laboratory down.

After all, no one else had to know.

No one else needed to know.

No one need to that this was the place he was born and he was the missing test subject that had been gone for years.

Not even Thomas.


	2. Office Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few days of burning down the Lab, Tord tries to talk to Thomas and gets something else instead.

* * *

It was odd.

After returning from Canada and blowing up one of the Larsson Pharmaceutical’s secret labs, Thomas had been silent.

Too silent if anything.

The Brit would stare at him as much as he was allowed and it was definitely starting to unnerve him.

“Why don’t you just take a picture? It’ll last longer,” the Norwegian joked as he wanted to dispel whatever thick tension that was there encroaching his office.

“You’re a Larsson,” the brunet suddenly supplied which had the leader of the Red Army pausing his work.

“What nonsense are talking about, Thomas?” The silvernette feigned with both innocence and disinterest.

“You’re a Larsson, Tord. My other self, Tamara, did mention about your counterpart being called as a Tori Larsson.”

Putting down his work and leaning back to stare at the Brit’s 8-bit eyes, Tord calmly responded to his companion, “You know my name, Tom. You, Matt and Edd know that I am Tord Athanasia Obelia. Heck, the three of you guys have even met my father and know that his surname is also Obelia.”

“But—”

“Tom, look. I don’t even understand where you got the idea that I’m a Larsson and how that is connected with us destroying one of their laboratories. I mean, if all the staring was just for that assumption of yours, then you’d be sorely disappointed.”

Thomas only further seemed to be frustrated by such a response which was why it was no surprise that the brunet sighed loudly in exasperation and marched loudly towards him. “You’re really acting like a huge pain, Tord, even if I’m doing this just to help you.”

The Norski snorted at such a statement and challenged back, “Help? I don’t currently need your help in anything right now, Thomas.”

“Shut the fuck up, Commie,” the annoyed man growled out as he stood right in front of the silvernette’s seat and turned it towards him.

“Why don’t you make me, Jehovah?” Tord goaded as he defiantly stared at the Brit’s rising anger.

“If that’s what you want then so be it.” Tom snarled as he pulled the eye-patched man up and kissed him fiercely.

With that things just escalated.

Tord knew that what’s about to happen is wrong in all the sense of the world since A) they’re still at his office B) someone might just walk in on them even if its about 11 ass o’clock in the night C) he shouldn’t be allowing his former friend, currently subordinate/rival fuck him considering what they are, this is all just messed up. And yet, even with all these reasons, Tord couldn’t stop himself from moaning out the visored man’s name while he ground down his naked ass along the other’s still clothed hips.

It was unfair.

Definitely unfair.

When did Thomas bloody fucking Rodgewell ever gained such an effect with him?

Heck, back before he left the idiot trio, he and the Brit always fought and never even had of any sexual interest towards each other. But now why?

A single kiss could make him breathless. A single touch could make his skin tingle and feel like on fire. And right now?

Right now, he was helplessly clinging onto the other’s broad shoulders while the taller man suckled his nipples and fingered his ass.

It was pathetic. Seriously so.

“Stop thinking,” Thomas chided as he harshly bit his red and peaking left nipple.

Keening at the stimulus, the horned silvernette frowned and bit the brunet’s uncovered shoulder. “Hurry up already, Thomas. You’ve been preparing me for ages now.”

Tord gasped at the sudden hard thrust at his prostate and stared at the man’s green 8-bit eyes. “Thom-ah-s…Tom, Tom, Tommee, please….. Just fuck me~~ already.”

With that a satisfied smirk appeared on the idiot’s face and the brunet commented, “You know, if you just used this kind of tone towards me when we were younger, then we wouldn’t have fought that often.”

“Tom~~~”

“Fine. Fine. As my Red princess wishes,” the taller teased before he took his fingers out and had the eye-patched man turn around.

The Norwegian then blinked at the change of position and scowled at the embarrassment that they were now facing his one-way floor to ceiling window. After all, with the light they currently had at the moment, the window appeared more like a mirror that showed the horned male everything. And by everything, he meant his naked and marked splayed out body which is currently being held by the semi-undressed Brit and their current expressions.

“Just look at how beautiful you are like this,” Tom purred beside his ear as he could feel the other man’s massive 9-inch erection dutifully prod at his entrance.

Tord turned his face away and ignored how his enemy had him pathetically like this. In his own office, sitting on his own chair that served as his symbol of authority.

 _“What would the Red Army think of me when they see me like this?”_ he mused quietly before he felt Tom’s hand grab a hold of his head and turn it back to face their reflection.

“I am not your enemy, Tord. I haven’t been for a long time,” the visored man confessed as pulled the naked male unto his cock while he thrusted up, “I don’t even give much of a care about your current seat of power and whatever about the Red Army right now wouldn’t matter since I am the only here.

You and I are the only ones here.”

Mewling at the sensation of penetration, the Norski had half a mind in applauding Tom for still having some composure while fucking him. Heck, the annoying bastard could properly string sentences and that isn’t just fair. The other half of his mind just wanted things to get a move on and for the taller man to fuck him already.

“To—Tom~~~”

“Shh….It’s okay. We’ll take it nice and slow for today, Tord,” Tom promised as he peppered kisses on the silvernette’s scarred side of his neck.

 _“Slow!?”_ Tord wanted nothing more but to protest and burn the living shit of the bastard with his left cybernetic hand at such an admission. But the continuous stimulation of his prostate had him breathing in pants and squirming in the Brit’s hold.

“Bu—But what about the— subordin-ah-tes? Wa—ah-lk in?” The shorter male strung out as he gasped, panted and whimpered at the movements Tom made.

“I already gave explicit orders to them to not disturb us tonight since we have something important to handle,” Tom explained as he continued to languidly fuck Tord and ruin the usually controlled man.

That said, just a couple of minutes after that statement a sudden loud knock rang out.

“What the fuck!?” Tord angrily growled out as he unintentionally squeezed tighter and glared at the man fucking him.

“Sir, the results of the experiment the R&D Department had made is now finished and are now waiting for your advisement and approval.” A familiar voice announced which the currently trembling male easily identified as one of his most trusted men, Patryck Brezezicki.

“Sir?” The tall brown-haired Polish man queried behind the locked door.

That being said, at that moment it seemed like Tom was in one of his moods and decided that slow and lazy sex was enough and that he needed to fuck Tord hard right now while the shorter man was talking to one of his men.

Moaning loudly at the sudden increase of tempo and ferocity, Tord did his best to control himself and try not to sound like he was being fucked thoroughly by his own bodyguard and right-hand man. “I—Ah—Tell the R&D Dep—ah—rtment I’ll be going by to-tomorrow.”

“Sir, are you okay?” Patryck voiced in concern which made the silvernette cover his mouth to silence himself.

The Brit in all his annoying glory then decided to change his angle of thrusting and made his dick go all the way deeper. Hitting a spot that Tord never was able to experience before.

Near screaming at the onslaught, it was only then the shorter man realized how his hands were now gripping Tom’s arms, “So deep~~. You’re—ah—so deeeep ins—ide, Tom.”

“Umm…Sir?”

The brunet now seemed to have lost his patience and continued to bounce the Norski unto his cock while growling, “Patryck, you already—ha—heard the man. Tord’s going tomorrow since we’re kind of busy right now.”

Tord unintentionally made another loud moan this time and with that the literal fucking duo could definitely hear the Pole running away while addressing someone via his communicator. “You absolute shit,” the shorter groaned as he felt his orgasm coming closer and Tom laughing delightedly behind hm.

“Oh darling, I know that as much you say shit about me, you definitely love me,” the visored man purred as he gave more bite marks to Tord’s neck.

“Tom, I—I’m about to—to cum,” the silvernette warned as he ignored the annoying bastard’s teasing.

“Then cum for me, Commie,” Tom replied just right about the time when the Norwegian felt himself snap. Spurts of cum flowed out of Tord’s dick while he was still being plundered and oversensitivity hitting him like a ton of bricks.

The eye-patched man whined and keened at the feeling. Thomas’ endurance was overpowering him and making him decadently compliant in the man’s hold. “Just fuck—ing cum al—ready, Jehov—ah.”

Nonetheless, a second orgasm was brought to the one-eyed man as he once again came untouched and finally felt the Brit’s hot seed flowing into his body.

Tord felt tired. No, he was exhausted.

The laboratory, Tom’s suspicions, the Red Army and now the sex.

As such, the Norwegian finally felt like he deserved some sleep and opted to close his eyes. After all, the silvernette definitely knew Thomas would clean him up and make sure of his safety.


	3. Conversation (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord asks Thomas about things.

Warm.

Tord felt so warm and comfortable that he could vaguely guess where he was now.

He was now probably in Tom’s quarters being embraced by the said damned Brit while he slept.

 _“Things are really getting out of hand,”_ the Norski internally mused as he opened his eye and turned to stare at the still sleeping man.

_“Whatever it is that we have is getting out of hand.”_

Smiling gently at Tom, he gently traced the man’s visor free and lax features with his human fingers and recalled about what the brunet mentioned to him last night.

Love.

The stupid idiot was so keen on thinking that he loved him but Tord knew that wasn’t the truth.

He knew he didn’t because if he did truly love the Brit then why wouldn’t his heart beat fast whenever he sees him? Why would he still be able to think of other things and not the man beside him?

He didn’t love Tom romantically.

It was more like he got used to him and the annoying man’s weird advances.

With the past eight years that Tom stood by his side and the five of them being some kind of relationship with benefits, the leader of the Red Army could honestly say that he just got used to Tom like he got used to his robotic right hand.

It was there for a reason; for his convenience, for his pleasure and for his own interests.

The bastard was more of his companion and confidant of sorts but never truly someone he loved and would sacrifice himself for. That’s just it, nothing else.

He could definitely sleep with someone else.

He wasn’t tied down to him.

But why did Tom think that he loved him?

Was he getting too soft?

Admittedly, the Brit could play his body as fiddle. The taller knowing all his sensitive areas and knows how to exploit them.

Nonetheless, he didn’t have any feelings for the man aside from being his rival and friend like they used to be when they were younger.

 _“Does Tom have feelings for me?”_ He quietly asked himself before shaking his head.

That was impossible.

It would probably be more like the pineapple-bowling ball hybrid was assuming things just to try and make fun of him again. Thinking otherwise would just be a waste of time and another source of frustration since he wouldn’t be able to get another reason why.

Sighing at the thought, he turned back to focus on Tom’s face.

Thinking about how Tom aged well enough even with all the things that has happened to him through the years. Add in the brunet’s heavy interests with alcohol and the cancer he had, Tord sometimes wondered how the annoying man could still be alive.

“Maybe it’s because of the monster DNA,” he quietly muttered since it technically gave the eyeless man a faster healing ability and immunity to certain sorts of diseases.

Nonetheless, Tom did look good.

Maybe if the Brit was a bit taller, say about 6 ft. 5’ then things would be perfect for the 5 ft. 9’ Norski. But instead, Tom was just taller than him by an inch which seriously was one of the reasons he nearly turned down them being something with benefits.

After all, Tord did always like men who were definitely taller than him. Particularly, 6 ft. 5’ since it was just the right amount of height for him whenever he’d wear six-inch heels or boots and have his partner still two inches taller than him.

That said, Tord knew beggars can’t be choosers.

With the way his schedule was usually was, it would be difficult for him to find a partner and spend some time with them unlike with him being with Thomas. After all, the man was almost with him every day as his bodyguard and right-hand man save for the moments that he’d personally order Thomas to take some missions and earn some glory for the rest of the Army to take note of.

Whatever they had was just something that had happened due to their circumstance.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The Brit didn’t proposition him because he had feelings. Tom was just pretty horny at that time and was too lazy to look for somebody else.

He was just chosen to be Tom’s partner for the eyeless man’s convenience and the other was likewise for him.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t put out the fact that Tord feels like something is definitely different. Like how the Brit was gentler with him and that the man listens to him more than just immediately shooting him off with curses and complaints.

It was really perplexing.

Giving another tired sigh, Tord decided that enough was enough and was about to get out of the taller man’s embrace when Thomas finally opened his ‘eyes.’ “Where are you going?”

“Where else would I go, Tom? I’d have to get back to work sooner or later and visit the R&D Department at a later time.”

Tom then shifted at that and turned to the alarm clock by his bedside table and frowned, “It’s about 4 in the fucking morning, Tord.”

“So?” The silvernette questioned back as he raised a brow.

“We came to my room about 12 midnight and we slept for about four hours, Commie. Your body still needs its rest. You need rest,” Tom remarked as he pulled the shorter man towards him and nuzzled the Norski’s sensitive scarred neck.

Whining at the brunet, Tord felt like he wanted to punch the other when he suddenly remembered another thing which Tom said last night. So, he decided to give up and give in to Tom’s wish of staying in bed. That said, he wanted a compromise from the eyeless man of answering his questions.

“Tom?”

“Yes, Commie?”

“What did you mean about not being my enemy? About not being my enemy for some time now?”

Sensing Thomas looking at him, he stared back at the other’s black voids and patiently waited for an answer which had the brunet sighing.

“You know, I always liked your gem-like green eyes. They look so much like jewels. A wonderful dark green diamond that’s a cut above the rest,” the taller expressed with such earnestness that had Tord blinking whether the man was drunk, in a semi-state of sleep or really serious. 

“I’m serious about my question, Tom. So, stop this flattery right this instant,” Tord frowned in displeasure.

An amused smile flitted in the Brit’s face. “I’m saying the truth, Tord. This is one of the reasons on why I don’t think that I can be your enemy anymore. That, and I realized a couple of things.”

“What kind of things have you realized?”

Tom then again sighed and pulled him closer, “Isn’t it obvious, Tord?”

“I’m not a mind reader, Jehovah,” the shorter quipped in impatience and closed his eye as the eyeless man’s hand was gently rubbing his neck

“It’s been eight years since I’ve stayed by your side, Commie. Five of which we spent together as rivals with benefits. These five years definitely made me understand how I feel about you. It made me understand how I love you.”

Eye widening in revelation, the scarred man was momentarily speechless at such an admission. To be frank, it made him wonder if something was wrong with the other man’s head.

After all, this was never supposed to happen.

Thomas Rodgewell was not supposed to have feelings for him.

This is just some huge joke the Brit made, right?

Tord then shook his head to gather his thoughts and sat up as he placed a gentle hand on the other’s forehead, “Either you’re joking or must have some kind of illness with you right now, Thomas. If it’s an illness, I could have your schedule cleared for the week and have the best of our army’s doctors attend to you.

To be exact, maybe you need a vacation. A month would suffice, right? Somewhere warm and a lot of men and women for you to mingle with.”

At that, an obvious frown graced Tom’s face and the silvernette’s human wrist was tightly held in a bruising grip. “I am not ill, Commie,” growled the brunet as he pulled Tord forward and had the shorter man pinned underneath him.

“But what you’re saying is impossible!” Argued Tord as he tried to release the other’s grip on him. However, it seemed like Thomas had no interest of letting go.

“What makes you think of that?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Thomas!? I manipulated you. Used you.

Heck, maybe what you’re feeling is some kind of messed up version of Stockholm Syndrome that made you think you love me,” Tord retorted in pure disbelief.

“Is that how you see things, Tord? Seriously!?” The Brit questioned in incredulity and rising anger.

“Yes!” Tord all but screamed back. The action making a part of him feel like what they’ve been doing these past years were all the more wrong in nature.

An unreadable look then flashed before the taller man’s face before it became an impassive mask that gave nothing away. Thomas’ grip on Tord all the more became tighter and a warning grumble came from the eyeless man’s chest.

“You didn’t manipulate me, Tord. You never did as much as you should have those years that I lost my memories. Instead, you were there and did your best to tell me the unbiased truth. Even admitting the fact that we were enemies and the only reason you saved me was because of our history as childhood friends.

You didn’t lie to me about not knowing where Matt, Edd and the Resistance were since you were even looking for them. You didn’t lie about me and about the things I had done. You never did.

You didn’t even make yourself seem like a good guy. But instead, you just left me cold and hard solid facts which you had allowed me to think over and gather evidences to know whether they were true.

You usually kept yourself at a respectful but close distance and would only come closer when I had the worst of the pain and relapses. You’ve healed my wounds and aided me in fighting the cancer; resulting me to not lose my sight but instead regain it.

You never even had any of your men threaten or harm me. Instead you made sure that that whenever one of them was to be there near me, they were to be friendly and have me feel like I’m not being guarded.

When my injuries and illness were already healing up and gave me the capacity to move around as a normal person was capable of, you openly told me that I could leave whenever I wanted. Providing me with the necessities that I would have needed, you told me I was of my own person and could choose if I ever wanted to leave.

Those two years of being an amnesiac may have been difficult for me but with you by my side it didn’t matter. Never really did.

It made me understand more about you instead. It made me understand more about your cause.”

Tord snorted at the Thomas’ long speech and closed his eye. “Classic stupid Tom. To think that’s how you thought of those two years of loss.

I was the way I was because I find it unreasonable and a waste of my time to lie to you. I did my best to send you away since I didn’t want to be near you. Yet, you persistently stayed and decided to be part of my army.”

“I stayed because I chose to, Commie.

I stayed not because you manipulated me.

I stayed because I thought that I wanted to know you more and why we became enemies.” The taller man countered as he leaned down to decidedly fiercely bite down to the scarred side of silvernette’s neck.

The Norwegian gasped at the pain and had his robotic arm unconsciously clinging unto the Brit’s broad shoulders. “You fucking idiot.”

Tom then slightly pulled himself away to gaze at his bleeding handiwork and licked his lips.

“I chose this, Tord. I chose to be part of your army. I chose to be of use to you. I chose to remain by your side.

I chose you.

So, stop thinking of otherwise. I know what I feel and it definitely isn’t Stockholm Syndrome since you never even made me your captive during my whole stay as an outsider. If anything, I was a VIP guest and you did your best to cater to my every need even if you hardly did it intentionally.

After all, you were always like that even when we were younger. As much as you’d think and move according to your plans, you would still subconsciously do nice things that aren’t necessary for you.

You would just move and it’s what brought people near. The only difference is that you’d make sure to keep them up a distance and hardly let them in past your defenses.”

“And yet we are here,” Tord tiredly supplied as he finally opened his lone gem-like green eye whilst idly drawing small circles at the brunet’s back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Any thoughts or comments?


	4. Conversation (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of Tord and Thomas' talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> I'm not sure if you noticed, but when Tord addresses or thinks of the eyeless man as "Thomas" he's naturally trying to distance himself from the man. Tord is trying to make a distinguishing difference on how should he treat the other. Meanwhile, he refers to the Brit as "Tom" when he's more relaxed or wants to be closer to the other.
> 
> I mean, having a way to differently refer to the Brit is somehow kind of like a coping mechanism for Tord to differentiate when he needs to be serious, professionally or some other reason, and when he could thing put down his defenses with the brunet.
> 
> Anyway, I 'm just saying since people might wonder why at certain moments Tord refers to the other as "Thomas" and sometimes "Tom."

* * *

He was tired.

Exhausted actually.

He just woke up from sleep and wanted some answers but instead got into an argument with Thomas.

It was pretty pathetic in all senses of the world.

And yet, the high and mighty leader of the Red Army couldn’t stop himself from pushing through and trying to convince Thomas that what he was feeling wasn’t love.

It was just all messed up.

They were both messed up.

Sighing at the knowledge that the Brit made up his mind, Tord wanted nothing more but to shake the man and make him wake up from his weird delusion. It was just all crazy.

But it looked like Thomas would have none of it as he carefully inquired, “Why can’t you just accept the fact that I love you?”

The silvernette knows that he shouldn’t be having such a talk with his state right now but the way the eyeless man looked had something inside the Norwegian saying to hell with everything and just tell the other the truth. The whole truth about himself to clear things up.

Tord gave another sigh, “Let me go, Tom.”

Noticing the other’s reluctance, he leaned his head up and chastely kissed the taller man. “I’m not going to run away, Tom.”

With that, the Brit finally released the Norski’s hand and distanced himself. “Your wrist…I’m sorry.”

Turning to what the eyeless man was talking about, Tord was able to see how noticeably bruised it was and simply dismissed it. Tord then bit his lip for a moment before motioning to Thomas to lie down beside him. “Look. What I’m about to tell you shouldn’t get out,” he warned quietly.

“Okay.”

With Thomas now beside him, the silvernette lied on top of the other and felt the Brit’s arms tentatively warp around him. The warmth of the embrace gave him warmth that he didn’t know he needed.

“So…Okay.

Remember when you asked me about being a Larsson?”

“Of course, I do, Commie.”

“Well, you weren’t exactly wrong in a certain sense. I mean, part of genetics was supposed to be a Larsson.”

The Brit blinked a couple of times at that statement before asking, “What do you mean by your genetics ‘supposedly part Larsson’?”

“Well…We do all know from basic Sex Ed. Classes that to make a child you’d need a sperm and an egg. My father had the sperm and my mother had the egg.

Anyway, I was unfortunately a product of a one-night stand. A mistake.

That said, even with how my biological mother, Viridian Larsson, tried to kill me by having my underdeveloped body pulled out of her, I survived. I survived long enough that my grandfather was able to find out about my existence since a fetus was found in the family’s private garden.”

“Wait, your grandfather only found out that his daughter had a child was because they found you as a fetus somewhere in their family garden!?”

The incredulity in Thomas’ tone told the Norski enough that after this whole thing the Brit would want to be away from him. So, clenching the sheets with his free hand, he soldiered on.

“Yes, he did.

It turned out that Viridian expected that the fetus would be eaten by some random animal. Unfortunately for her, none of the animals did that and instead stayed clear of me. Which was why, the gardener found me as all the animals appeared to be afraid of me.

From there, my grandfather had things investigated and found out I was still miraculously alive. Which had him thinking whether I was viable enough in being their test subject.

And a test subject I became.

For the first few years of my life, Thomas. I was nothing else but a lab experiment that got repeatedly poked, prodded, cut open, pumped full of chemicals and tested. From my physical abilities to my mental capacity; all of it was being measured to gain data that could help the Larsson family.

Heck, I wasn’t even human they said.

A complete monster.

Therefore, the Larsson genes had to be purged from me and they had me subjected to other cruel treatments until my genetic data hardly resembled anymore of their bloodline.”

“But you are an Obelia, right? The brunet queried as he seemingly tried to make sense of things.

“Yes, I am. After all, it seemed like part of the irregularity that they were receiving came from my father’s side of the genetic code. Which in turn, had the Obelia parts further polished and purified.”

“……”

“Anyway, it was due to the experiments that my hair and eye color had changed. From a dark blond and blue gem-like eyes, my hair became silver and my eyes gem green.”

“So…Basically, your mom was a Larsson but due to the experiments your gene code changed?”

“Yes, it did. That said, all the pain and hatred was worth it. It was part of what made me as who I am.” Tord idly confessed and stared at the taller man’s black voids.

“But that doesn’t explain why I can’t love you.” The Brit reasoned out.

Grimacing at the implication that Thomas wasn’t getting things, Tord had the urge to punch the eyeless man. But instead he pulled away.

“What can’t you not get!?

I am fucking monster, Thomas! A fucking lab experiment!

Heck, the reason I conquered Canada and burned down that lab was to cover that very fact you, nitwit!”

Thomas groaned in frustration, “What about it, Tord!? I mean, I fucking turn into a giant scary purple monster that bloody fucking kills people when angry. Not only that, I could slice metal tanks as if they were melted butter with my claws and could survive a bomb in my monster form.

How does you being experimented on makes you someone unworthy of love!?

My love of all things!?”

Rage building up again, Tord spat back, “It’s not about being worthy or unworthy! It’s about how it should never happen!

Your mind is just playing tricks on you, Tom.

You don’t love me. You don’t have feelings for me.”

“For the love of Jehovah, Commie!

Is that all that really is!? I’m not supposed to love you?

But I definitely know that I do and, whatever you say, nothing is going to change it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....
> 
> How was it? Any comments or things that you have in mind? 
> 
> Anyway, your comments are my life blood in writing which is why I want to know what you think.


	5. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord gains an understanding of what Tom is willing to give for his interests.

After that conversation, days had been now tensed and Tord was starting to regret the fact that he even asked Thomas that day.

Thomas was now somehow openly pursuing him and well…that somehow made the Norski’s mood all the more plummet.

They were the leaders of a large and vast empire. Such open displays of feelings should never happen.

It was wrong.

It was definitely wrong.

But Thomas wasn’t one to be deterred and pursued harder.

The Brit was anything but stubbornly persistent.

So here they were now.

Once again in the confines of his office as they were going on their work.

Him going over development proposals while Thomas does his own share of paperwork.

The room they were in was far too quiet than it was usually supposed to be.

“How were you able to leave? How were you able to become an Obelia?” The taller man suddenly questioned which had Tord blinking his single functioning eye and wondering if this was once again another one of Thomas’ ploys to make him love him.

Blinking a couple more times, Tord continued his work and replied, “I got out by killing the staff and went into hiding. I hid for a couple of days and stowed myself away into America which by some miracle had me meeting my father and getting accepted by him.”

“So, wait, he just knew and accepted you just at first glance? That kind of thing?”

“It was the call of blood, Thomas. Apparently, my blood and the thing inside of me sang in recognition when we first met. It was what made him acknowledge me as his child.”

“And your mom didn’t know about this kind of shit?”

“She’s nothing more but a biological donor, Thomas. That, and she didn’t know because she was too high on drugs to know that my father did her. In her mind it was just some stupid random guy in a high-class druggie party who knocked her up.”

“You hate her,” the Brit lamely remarked which had the silvernette snorting.

“Hate? That’s such a weak term for what I feel for that woman.

If anything, I loathe her. I despise her. I definitely abhor her.”

“And your father, Commie?”

Tord then put down his work at such a question and focused on the other man; wondering what was the brunet’s real objective for this interrogation.

“I care for my father, Thomas. He was a nice man and did his best to cherish me. In a way, you could even say that I loved him even if he died early. After all, he died just to save me.

He was my Papa. He always did his best to understand me and was quite rather willing to spoil me.”

“Well…As much as you used the terms of explaining your love for your dad like that as a mere approximation, you still used the term love.”

“Your point, Thomas?”

“What I mean is that you aren’t as unfeeling as you usually portray yourself to be. Moreover, you even know a bit about the concept of love,” the taller answered back as they stared at each other’s ‘eyes.’

The Norwegian then grimaced as he soon understood what the other was trying to do. The man was trying to convince him about the various concepts of love and make him understand that what’s going on with them was perfectly fine.

This problem of theirs was really getting out of hand.

Leaning forward on his seat, Tord steepled his fingers and inquired in curiosity, “Thomas, why do you wish to continue on insisting that you love me? You do know that, even if I accepted the fact that your feelings are truly love, I still don’t love you back.”

A few moments of silence rang out before the brunet finally gave his measured response, “I—I just want you to know and accept the fact that I love you, okay? I already knew it a long time ago that there’d be a chance of you not returning my feelings. But…It’s not like you love anybody else and with us the way we are…I just want to point that we could be more than just rivals benefits as what you’d usually say.

We could be in a relationship even if I’m the only one who’s in love between the two of us. I mean, we could work things out and maybe one day you’ll find yourself to have fallen for me too. If not, well…As long as you’ll have me, I’m willing to stay and be there for you.”

 _“Okay…That hit incredibly deep,”_ internally mused the eye patched male and wondered when did Thomas Rodgewell become so desperate and selfless just for him.

To think that the very reason Thomas was insistent on having him know that his feelings were real was because he wished to remain by my side in more than one sense now. The Brit actually wanted to be in a relationship with him as much as futile and empty it might turn out to be.

Now that he gained a new understanding of what the eyeless man wanted now, he had the choice of insisting to turn the man down (the argument and tension of theirs would hardly end) or ending this argument of theirs by compromising and letting the Brit have his way. He had two choices that he could choose and after weighing the Pros and Cons of each choice he finally made up his mind.

Putting his hands down and placing them flat against his table, Tord gave a long and deep sigh groaned, “Fine. You win, Tom.

I’m not going to say anything about you loving me and we’d be in a relationship like you wanted. That said, don’t expect me to say those three words back and call you pet names since I’d rather do it to the person I love.”

Tom’s face showed various expressions that quickly flitted by and could be unnoticeable if one didn’t look hard enough. That being said, Tord could easily see how the pineapple-bowling ball hybrid was more of both happy and pained with his response.

Tom was happy that he would get what he wanted. Nonetheless, he was also pained because those three words that he wanted and the affections that he should have could possibly belong to someone else. It would not be spoken and given to him unless Tord himself falls in love with the taller male which in turn made the Brit realize that the silvernette was merely compromising to his whims.

At that, the Norski received a complicated smile and knew things would be different but a better in a certain sense. That, and he hopes it does.

* * *

**A/N:** Just some random art of Future Tom and Future Tord and

how I imagine they'd be in certain situations. And...Well, just ignore Tord's hair color and eyes since in my story Tord's

hair is silver and the one on the art is a dark blond/ light brown and his eyes are gem-like green in the plot. 

Tom with his eyes uncovered after a rough battle.

The start of them being rivals with benefits.

Tom being an absolute bastard on how he announces to the Army and the Empire

that he's in a relationship with Tord.

With them now officially and publicly in a relationship, Tord gives Tom a good luck/goodbye kiss to the Brit

before he sends him off to missions since it makes Tom happier and less likely to come back injured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Any comments?


	6. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord's thoughts on love and how he feels about Tom.

**Notes:**

"Classic stupid Tom" - Talking aloud

 _"Classic stupid Tom"_ \- Thoughts of a character

* * *

Being in a relationship with the Brit wasn’t that bad.

Like sure, Tord noticed that Thomas was now more possessive and protective of him. But it wasn’t like the brunet was letting his feelings be of a hindrance to his duties.

The blue clad man was still as efficient and disciplined as a soldier and all the more loyal to him now that they were together.

Heck, the Brit as even further cutting down his drinking for him which in a certain sense made the Norski smile.

But that doesn’t mean Tord found himself in love with Thomas.

The pineapple-bowling ball hybrid was one of his longest known childhood friends next to Edd. Therein, he knew that he had his own attachments to the taller man. But it wasn’t like it was love.

If anything, Tord cared for the man as he would a long-time trusted companion that he’d occasionally have sex with. Dates, holding hands and even the brunet’s presence alone weren’t able to give him what he wanted to feel.

Love.

Once upon a time, when he was still trapped in the labs and was still held captive by the Larsson’s, such a concept was so far and foreign to him.

Yet over the years where he was free, he was able to gain an idea of what it was from various sources (people, books, media and the internet) and was also somehow able to make his own concept or thoughts about it and make it a standard to know whether he was in love.

What is love?

For him, to love someone is to feel safe and comfortable around them.

To love someone is to have utmost trust on them and know that you are willing to believe in them.

To love someone is to feel complete and happy with their presence or the very thoughts about their partner.

To love someone is to feel the tingles/butterflies/electricity and be content in their partner’s arms.

To love someone is that you are willing to accept everything about your partner; strengths and flaws and all while helping them be better.

To love someone, you are willing to look past their flaws and find beauty in them and revel in the very identity of the other.

To love someone is that you are willing to forgive your partner for all the terrible things they did to you and still find the interest to be with them.

To love someone is that you are willing to be theirs and be broken by them since it would possibly make them happy.

To love someone is when you find yourself that you are willing to selflessly suffer and sacrifice for the other person.

Most of all, to love someone is when you can find yourself always wanting to be by that person’s side to the point that you’d rather have yourself die than have that person suffer and die because of you.

Those were his concepts of love and so far, Tom was hardly making him feel any of those.

If anything, Tord could basically say that what he had with the Brit was more of a companionate type of feeling. Thomas was basically someone he trusted that wouldn’t do something so stupid. But that trust was not enough to the point the silvernette would let the man break him.

He wasn’t in love.

He just cared.

That’s all.

So, blinking his lone functional eye, Tord was still wondering whether it was right to continue his relationship with the sleeping man beside him. After all, the person he could truly love was possibly still out there.

Him remaining by Tom’s side would probably do no good to his love status. But then again, the spiky haired brunet was a lot happier these couple of months that they were in an official relationship.

Cutting things off could possibly make the other spiral back or farther into his angsty and depressive moods. Tom’s work efficiency would probably suffer and the Brit’s mental and emotional health would be no better.

He can’t let those kinds of things happen.

Tom is after all his most efficient, effective, loyal and disciplined soldier.

To lose such an asset just because of his selfishness to want love would make him a terrible leader to his army and the Empire which he rules.

Tord then sighed at how things are turning out and softly touched the Brit’s sleeping face. _“I guess duty comes first before love. Besides, it’s not like I’m sure that I can actually fall in love with somebody. Therein, I might as well accept what I have and be grateful for it.”_

“After all, I’m a lot surer of the proof that Tom loves me and would do anything to remain by my side.

My love doesn’t matter. What matters is that I make use of everything that I have to fight for the cause and make the Red Empire prosper.”


	7. Worry and Worth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord feels bothered by something and Tom thinks about what has happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> I hope this chapter would be up to your liking.

**Notes:**

"Classic stupid Tom" - Talking aloud

 _"Classic stupid Tom"_ \- Thoughts of a character

* * *

It was now closer to Christmas and everyone else around him was happy. Well, except Tom of course. That said, the military and the rest of his subjects appear to be in such high spirits because of the upcoming holiday.

Heck, even the Resistance and the former government organizations were even too quiet and seemingly busy with something else which had Tord feeling like something was just about to go wrong.

The Norwegian then felt warm arms clad in blue wrap around his waist and a head place itself upon his shoulder. Easing his frown back to a more neutral expression, the silvernette heard Tom idly remark, “Something is bothering you.”

Taking a deep breath, Tord gripped the Brit’s arms and allowed himself to burrow deeper in the other’s hold. “It’s silly actually.”

Tom kissed his neck to encourage him and had Tord reluctantly admitting his worries. “Something feels off, Tom. I mean, I don’t exactly know what it is. But something is in me is saying to be careful.”

“Hmm…. Thinking about it, everything seems to be peaceful. Far too peaceful.”

“I know, Jehovah. It’s like this whole thing feels like the calm before the storm.”

“I understand. I’ll have things investigated and make sure any possibility of coups or assassinations be cut down even before they are made to happen,” Tom assured which had Tord relaxing and kissing the Brit’s cheek as a thank you.

“Anyway, Tord, do you have any plans for the coming holidays?”

Snorting at the other’s tactics, the Norwegian turned himself around and stared at green 8-bit eyes in amusement. “Seriously, Tom? You know everything about what’s in my schedule. To ask in such a roundabout manner, you could just tell me what you have in mind.”

The pleased grin that the taller man had at such words somehow made something inside of Tord twinge in guilt. After all, Tom was giving him his utmost love and devotion. Meanwhile, what could he possibly give the brunet?

He couldn’t give what the man truly wanted.

He couldn’t say those three words and even pretend to look at the man like he was his everything. He couldn’t pretend that Tom was his everything.

Pushing back the bile rising up in his throat, Tord smiled and kissed Tom’s stupidly grinning face.

_“Faen._

_Jeg er egentlig ikke noe annet enn et forferdelig monster._

_I can’t even do something right for the last person who’s willing to stand by my side and believe in me. I can’t even…”_

Taking a deep breath, Tord closed his eye and allowed himself to be guiltily swept in the other’s happiness.

* * *

Tom was happy.

He was so happy.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he was this glad about something that he didn’t have any signs of having the urge to drink himself to oblivion.

Tord finally said ‘Yes’ to him.

Tord finally allowed them to be an official couple.

That, and the Commie was now smiling more openly towards him while their instances of PDA were also increasing.

Heck, everybody in the upper ranks already knew that they were together and even expressed approval of their relationship.

Somehow, even with all that has happened in his life was so terrible, something finally came out right.

He had the person he loves in his arms and that person…

Stopping in his thoughts, Tom had a rueful smile marring his face as he remembered what the Norwegian told him that day.

_“Fine. You win, Tom._

_I’m not going to say anything about you loving me and we’d be in a relationship like you wanted._

_That said, don’t expect me to say those three words back and_

_call you pet names since I’d rather do it to the person I love.”_

Tord did say that he won’t tell him ‘I love you’ unless he the Norski actually had developed feelings for him. That, and he shouldn’t expect that the silvernette would be more affectionate towards him.

Which meant, Tord had became more tolerant and open towards him. Nonetheless, it was nothing more. The Commie was just letting him have his way with him.

Swallowing back the discomfort and pain that he was feeling, Tom tried to focus on the good of things. He tried to focus on how beautiful Tord looked when he smiled or how brilliant the eye patched man appeared when he was doing his work. He tried to focus on how wonderful Tord felt under him whilst the shorter man alluringly called out his name. He tried to focus how perfect Tord felt in his arms and he wanted nothing more but the protect the Norwegian for the entirety of his life.

With all of those things, Tom tried to convince himself that everything was okay. Everything would be okay.

He just needed to be patient and use his time properly. After all, Tord would sooner or later fall in love with him. He just needed to be patient.

Things would turn out well.

So, when a whole year passed with them being together and the days coming closer to Christmas, Tom felt something was wrong when he noticed how Tord was more distant. How the silvernette would seemingly look at things as if something terrible would happen sooner or later.

“Something is bothering you,” he remarked as he wrapped his arms around the quietly frowning man.

“It’s silly actually,” the Norski answered as Tom noticed how the other was trying to look neutral and be accepting of the embrace which had the Brit kissing Tord as an encouragement of sorts for the other to continue.

“Something feels off, Tom. I mean, I don’t exactly know what it is. But something is in me is saying to be careful.”

At those words, Tom was starting to understand that Tord wasn’t distancing himself from him. If anything, it appeared like the silvernette was actually pretty worried of what was to come.

“Hmm…. Thinking about it, everything seems to be peaceful. Far too peaceful.”

“I know, Jehovah. It’s like this whole thing feels like the calm before the storm.”

A calm before the storm.

This storm…The possibility of it being another assassination attempt or coup could definitely happen. How many times had it already been that he saved Tord from dying? Far too many.

The very idea of losing the shorter man now that he had him made Tom’s chest ache in the most painful way. Which was why, he didn’t have any qualms of making sure it could not happen. He’d be willing enough to raise a number of investigations to dispel any possibility of such occurring.

Tord was now his.

He can’t lose him.

“I understand. I’ll have things investigated and make sure any possibility of coups or assassinations be cut down even before they are made to happen,” he assured which had Tord relaxing and kissing his cheek as a thank you.

At such a kiss, Tom’s mood lightened a bit and had him diverting to another topic. “Anyway, Tord, do you have any plans for the coming holidays?”

Luckily enough, the silvernette seemed to be amused by his idea and was willing enough to indulge him. Which in turn made him smile happily and think everything was worth it.

All the trouble, pain and sorrows that he felt.

It was worth it.

Tord was worth it.

* * *

Translation of Norwegian Text:

**Fuck. I’m really nothing more but a terrible monster.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think?
> 
> Should Tord be worried?
> 
> Should Tom be okay with what's going on?
> 
> To any thoughts that you have, do leave a comment.


	8. Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> There'd be a few words that are written in another language here and at the end of the story their translations would be given for better reading understanding and convenience. I hope people don't mind since the change of language would show how Tord and the others are comfortable enough to use their mother tongue when speaking and are trying to make their point.
> 
> Anyway, I do hope you'd find this chapter satisfactory.

A few more weeks until Christmas and Tom was beginning to hate the fact that he was getting nothing from his investigations. There was nothing in the results and yet he was starting to see where Tord was coming from.

His instincts, both the human and monster part, were warning him that something would happen. Heck, there were even dreams and all of them weren’t pretty. After all, all of them involved losing Tord.

But up at a point, the dreams began to change.

Instead of losing Tord, it was him who had been lost.

He had been lost due to a mistake he made and because of it Tord was the one to pay.

In these kinds of dreams, he’d sometimes see Tord crying out of loss and guilt. Tord would repeatedly apologize to him and ask him why he fell for him. Tord would think that everything was his own fault and punish himself since he died.

It was all just so…depressingly miserable.

That, as much as part of him was glad to know that the Norwegian cared enough for him to cry and blame himself, a bigger part of Tom didn’t want such scenes from happening. After all, he loved Tord and he didn’t want to see the other man suffer in any way.

If anything, whenever he saw the scenes of the silvernette crying, he’d have the huge urge to embrace the Norski and wipe away his tears. He would want to make Tord’s pain go away and see him smile.

And yet, he couldn’t do anything.

In those dreams he was powerless to do anything at all and was forced to remain being a bystander. Always so close but far enough that he wouldn’t be able to influence anything.

It was just down right frustrating.

Tom then in turn tried to make things easier for Tord as much as he could during his waking hours. The smiles and pleased gestures that he was receiving from the Norwegian was, fortunately, relieving enough that it would temporarily calm his anxious mind.

Nonetheless, it hadn’t stopped the Brit from thinking of different possible fail safes that he could have.

Was it possible to find a way to have a life after death? A resurrection? Or even a transfer of his soul to another body?

Tom remembered how when the four (Matt, Edd, Him and Tord) of them were still living together, they would undergo the craziest adventures. From magical artifacts, mythical monsters and up to meeting aliens; he had already experienced enough to know that there must be something that would ensure his and Tord’s life.

There must be something….

When an idea suddenly popped into his mind.

 _“That could possibly work,”_ Tom mused as he decided to try this idea of his. Therein, making up his mind, he had his schedule cleared for the week with Tord’s permission and opted to look for a certain magical artifact that could be of use to him without the silvernette’s knowledge.

* * *

It was intriguing.

Thomas had personally requested his own schedule to be cleared for some reason and Tord had half a mind on why would the Brit decide to do such a thing during such a worrisome time. That being said, for all the years that he had been with the man, it appeared like the worry about whatever it was to happen was starting to fray the nerves of the taller man. Which was why, Tord decided to tolerate and not question the brunet’s request.

After all, it looked like Thomas does deserve some unhindered down time.

Nonetheless, that didn’t stop him from putting up extra defenses for himself and making sure things wouldn’t go wrong.

“You’re frowning again, (1) Księżniczka,” Patryck remarked in concern as he fed another chicken nugget to Paul who was busy tampering with some machine.

Tord shook his head to gather his thoughts and turned to the two other men which were in his office. Paul who was seated while tinkering on something again and Patryck who was being all concerned while feeding the other man. “Both of you guys should really stop hanging around my office when Tom’s not around,” he grumbled as he strode forward towards the two and stole a chicken nugget from the goodie basket the Polish man brought over.

“We just don’t want you to be lonely,” Paul suddenly admitted in between his chewing and grabbed for his glass of orange juice.

Snorting at the duo’s antics, he did find their presence calming whenever things in the army were hectic. To be exact, as much as weird as it was, Tord did care for the two a lot like he would care for someone who was his family.

Like, sure.

He first met Paul in kindergarten, but the man became much closer to him after he personally recruited him. Patryck too. Instead of mere subordinates, Tord could somehow say that they were the closest thing that he had to a family after his biological father died when he was a child.

Paul and Patryck were like his elder siblings. The only thing is, they were in a relationship, which made the idea of them as being related a bit weird since Patryck was fucking Paul. Nonetheless, he still cared for these two troublesome idiots.

“Yeah, yeah. (2) Jeg er så velsignet av å ha så omsorgsfulle eldre brødre.” Tord teased as he smiled gently and sat with the two.

Paul, at that, abruptly protested, “What do you mean by elder brothers!? We’re basically the same age, Tord, and Pat’s the one who’s two years older than us.”

“We may be the same age, Paul, but you’re a couple months older than me. I mean, you’re born on the 16th of August while I was born on the 7th of October. That’s basically a two-month gap which still makes you technically my **older** sibling.”

“Tord’s right, (3) Moja Miłość. You’re still a few months older than him,” Pat teased as he ruffled his lover’s hair and turned back to the silvernette.

“I’m surprised that you’re letting Tom leave for a week considering the current circumstance,” the tall brunet stated in gentle reminder.

Sighing at Patryck’s tone, he rebutted, “Tom’s not going to betray us. He’s been with us for the past 8 years. That, and he’s too interested in keeping his relationship with me.”

“Tord, I’m not talking about Tom betraying us. After all, I’m quite rather sure his loyalty has been tied to you for a long time now. Add in the fact that he’s whipped for you.

What I mean to say is that, aren’t you worried that Tom might be ambushed or killed for some reason?”

Blinking his eye at what they were saying, Paul added in, “Yeah, Pat’s right. I mean, didn’t you say that something feels off these past few days? Aren’t you worried that something might happen to your dearly beloved?”

“Dearly beloved!?” Tord scoffed. “Tom’s just my lover. Nothing more, northing less. I don’t love him so stop with the ‘dearly beloved’ crap.”

“Fine, Thomas Rodgewell isn’t your ‘dearly beloved’,” Patryck conceded before continuing, “Our point is, have you ever thought the possibility that he might be the target this time? I mean, we’ve already searched for any clues that could possibly tell us of any plans against you, so far none came.

However, the chance that Tom could be the Resistance’s or the former governments’ target is quite rather plausible. After all, his death could still bring a great deal of negative impact to our camp.”

“…..”

At such words, Tord turned away in silence and grimaced at the implication.

Tom’s death.

The silvernette forced himself to take a deep breath and opened his eye which he didn’t know when he had closed.

The very thought of the Brit dying had Tord’s heart cracking in pain and clutching at his chest.

_“No._

_I can’t let him die._

_He’s the only one I have left._

_Edd chose to fight me from the very beginning._

_Matt betrayed for a cause he couldn’t understand why Edd fought for._

_And Tom…_

_Tom is the only thing that I have left of the happiness and childhood that I had._

_Tom is the only thing reminding that it’s okay to pretend that I am human._

_I can’t._

_I can’t…_

_I can’t let him die.”_

Tord once again forced himself to take a deep breath and calmed his emotions. Doing his best to reign everything and push away the raging pain and betrayal that his conscious mind felt at how he was dismissing his own worries.

_“I am a monster._

_I don’t need Edd and Matt._

_Nor do I need Tom._

_I don’t need friends._

_Ruling over the world and making sure that the world continues on is more of my priority._

_I don’t need friends._

_I don’t need **him**.”_

Those were the words which Tord used to try and convince himself that it was fine to lose the eyeless Brit. And yet, as much as he repeated it over and over in his head, he couldn’t put out the fact that what he felt was wrong. He couldn’t put out the fact that he hated of even thinking of himself as a monster and denying the truth.

“Tord, are you okay?” Paul gently asked as he put down the object he was tinkering while Patryck looked like he was seconds away from standing up and hugging him as a comfort.

Shaking his head, Tord smiled ruefully and replied, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

* * *

**Translation of languages:**

(1) **Księżniczka** [Polish] - Princess  
(2) **Jeg er så velsignet av å ha så omsorgsfulle eldre brødre.** [Norwegian] - I am so blessed to have such caring older brothers.  
(3) **Moja Miłość** [Polish] - My Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those people who noticed why Patryck and Tord are using terms that of their mother tongue and are wondering why they're doing so...Well, in my headcannon Tord, Patryck and Paul sometimes just talk in such a way when they're in private.
> 
> I mean, Tord is Norwegian , Patryck is Polish and Paul is a Dane. When the three are in their moods (more so when in private) they'd first start talking in English and along the way they start switching from Norwegian, Polish and Danish and knowing each other long enough they'd come to accept such language quirks since they could easily enough understand what is meant.
> 
> Like, (in my headcannon) when Tord is bored as hell , he'd rope the two in and the three would have a game where when they're talking they would continuously change languages until someone makes a mistake or doesn't get what is being said that person would lose. The loser would do something for the winners like buying stuff or doing a few tasks. 
> 
> So yeah, the trio know the three languages and English.
> 
> That said, Tord knows more languages and is a polyglot knowing 30 languages which he knows to read, write and speak fluently with (again Headcannon). Nonetheless, Tord does his best to be fair and only speaks the languages which Paul and Patryck knows so the two wouldn't be pissed off with him.
> 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> Tord's a polyglot for a number of reasons.  
> 1) The Experiments - one of the tests he whose subject multiple of times was how fast he can learn a language and how well he can read and write it while also speak fluently with it.  
> 2) Self- Interests - after leaving the lab he learned a couple of more languages to sate his curiosity and for convenience.
> 
> The Languages which (in my Headcannon) Tord is fluent with in reading, writing and speaking:  
> 1\. English  
> 2\. Norwegian  
> 3\. Japanese  
> 4\. Chinese  
> 5\. Korean  
> 6\. German  
> 7\. French  
> 8\. Portuguese  
> 9\. Italian  
> 10\. Finnish  
> 11\. Dutch  
> 12\. Polish  
> 13\. Hungarian  
> 14\. Russian  
> 15\. Swedish  
> 16\. Arabic  
> 17\. Thai  
> 18\. Hebrew  
> 19\. Latin  
> 20\. Greek  
> 21\. Spanish  
> 22\. Slovak  
> 23\. Czech  
> 24\. Bulgarian  
> 25\. Macedonian  
> 26\. Welsh  
> 27\. Icelandic  
> 28\. Romanian  
> 29\. Irish  
> 30\. Danish
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the random rambling. That said, I think the readers ought to know about this. And...In the near future I'm planning to write a profile sheet for the characters of this AU that I'm making. Maybe it wouldn't be directly placed here but on a separate AO3 Post Entry that's connected to the series. 
> 
> So yeah, again my apologies. Just giving a heads up.


	9. Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom finally comes back from his 1 week excursion and he and Tord spend some time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> Just giving a heads up here that Tom can understand, read and speak Norwegian. The reason for which is that his 8 years of staying by Tord's side had him learning the language to get a better understanding of the Norski.

Tord was busy, standing at the balcony of his home, with looking over a couple of last-minute documents that need to be approved before the year ends so when January comes things are ready. He was checking whether anything was amiss and what possible improvements could be made to existing programs when he felt two hands block his sight.

Unbiddenly, a smile got its way onto the silvernette’s face and he leaned back at his captor’s hold. “Welcome home, Tom,” he greeted as those said hands went down and held his hips.

“I’m home,” the Brit answered back and peppered kisses at his sensitive neck.

“Nggh…Tom.” Tord moaned and nearly dropped the documents that he held.

“Shhh…I’m here, Commie,” Tom cooed as he massaged the Norwegian’s hips and pulled the shorter man out of the balcony and into the living room. The documents were then plucked of Tord’s grip and placed on a nearby table to settle the two of them on the sofa.

After which, the brunet began to take off the eye patched man’s clothes and kissed every part of the other’s skin. And along with each kiss, Tom also decided to say a few things. “I missed your voice.” Kiss “your smile” kiss “your hands” kiss “your body” kiss “and the way you call out my name.”

Tord gasped at the sudden harsh bite on his nipple and squirmed as the taller man’s hands roamed his body. “Tom~~~” the silvernette whined and hated the fact that the Brit could easily turn him into putty.

“My love. My darling sweet little, Commie,” Tom purred as he gave Tord’s erection a couple of pumps before getting his now wet fingers touch the Norwegian’s waiting entrance.

“It’s fine. Put it inside now. Need you inside,” the silvernette babbled as he tried to get the brunet’s dick out the confines of his pants and put it at his entrance.

At that, Tom growled and forced the squirming Norwegian to still, “It’s been days since I last touched you, Tord. I won’t hurt you just because you were impatient in wanting to get fucked.”

The eye patched male was displeased at being told off and smacked the Brit’s shoulder with his metal arm. “I’m not made of glass, Tom. I—ah— could handle you.”

The brunet merely snorted at Tord’s words and finally pushed his finger in as he opted to stretch the displeased Norski. “I’m not saying that you’re made of glass or that you can’t handle me, Tord. All I mean is that I’d rather spend my time with you without getting you hurt since I love you,” the Brit reasoned out which had the silvernette shutting up in conscious guilt.

“Fine…”

Tom then reveled on how tight and willing Tord’s hole was as he curled his long finger to caress and massage the throbbing walls that sucked him in. The heat that he felt inside and how Tord was getting all too wet for him had the Brit adding another finger to stretch and scissor the said passage until he was finally able to touch upon the fleshy knob that made the Norski moan so loudly for him.

“I really missed you like this,” the man wearing a visor commented as he decided to repeatedly brush upon that knob and wring out more of Tord’s voice.

“Tom~~~” the silvernette mewled as the brushing strokes became a hard grinding and clawed his hands at the taller man’s clothed back.

Smiling at the reactions he received, Tom added two more of his fingers and began pulling out and thrusting in his appendages that were wonderfully wrapped by the Norski’s heat. While doing so, he chose to now ignore the other’s prostrate and indulge himself in his partner’s pleasing cries and trembling body.

“Nggh…Please, Tom. Pleasepleaseplease….”

“What do you wish for my, love?”

“I need you—ah—ins—ide me,” Tord tearfully entreated as he tugged the Brit’s head to come closer to him and kiss him.

A teasing smirk then found itself on Tom’s lips as he pulled away from the quick kiss. “I am inside you my, dear.”

“Not yo—ah—ur fingers. I wa—ha—nt your cock.”

“Hmm…But I don’t think that I’ve stretched you enough, Tord.”

“Tom~~~” The eye patched man whined as tears of frustration began to flow down his cheeks.

The brunet brushed away Tord’s tears with his free hand and assured, “Shh….You don’t have to cry. I’ll be inside of you soon.”

“Inside. I wa—ah—nt you to mess meee up deep ins—ha—ide,” Tord urged as he took Tom’s free hand and placed it on top of his own stomach to make his point towards the teasing Brit.

“Holy Abercombie in a Tuna Sandwhich! You’re really needy today, Tord.” Tom stated as he finally pulled out his fingers and positioned his large throbbing cock over the other’s fluttering hole.

“And whose fa—ah—ult is that!? You had me—ha—worr~~ied about you the past week,” the shorter tried to explain as Tom slowly lowered Tord unto his cock.

Both men then groaned when Tom was finally fully seated inside and Tord smiled lightly at how the Brit was trying to control himself and be still.

His Tom. His friend. His soldier. His lover.

Tom was his and the man was treating him so gently that warmth was engulfing Tord’s heart.

Such loyalty, devotion and love….

Squeezing his insides, Tord kissed the brunet’s lips and ground himself on top of the other man. “I’m fine, Tom. You could move now,” he prompted and peppered more kisses at Tom’s flushed face.

With such words, Tom tightened their hold on the eye patched man’s hips and pulled Tord up until only his tip was inside. Following which he pushed the Norski down so suddenly that the shorter moaned in delight.

The duo’s pace in fucking was increasing in tempo and Tord was definitely internally thanking Tom’s monster DNA that made the taller man have such great strength that could easily manhandle him. That, and Tom’s stamina was really a huge wonder.

Gasping and moaning as his prostrate was directly being hit by the other’s thrusts, Tord placed his hand on his stomach and cupped the small bulge that was appearing as Tom was all the way in. “You’re sooo deep inside…,” he breathily commented and pulled off the Brit’s visor with his robotic arm.

With the visor now gone from his face, Tom blinked his ‘eyes’ and watched as the silvernette gave the visor a gentle kiss before dropping it on the floor. Tord’s hands then touched his face and felt how shorter male was tugging his face up for another kiss.

“You really like kissing, don’t you, Tord?” Tom grunted as he relented and slipped his tongue inside of Tord’s open mouth. Their tongues intertwining, the brunet slowed his thrusts and used a hand to pinch the trembling man’s nipple.

Tord pulled away and gasped as he felt himself being pinched. His nipples had always been a sensitive spot for him and for Tom to abuse it along with his passage had the Norwegian clenching tighter as he quivered delectably for the currently pleased Brit.

“I—I’m close, Tom.” The silvernette warned as he tried to swallow down a number of things that tried to leave out of his mouth. The heat and Tom’s embrace were dizzying enough. Then add in all the pent-up emotions he had been feeling the past few days.

The worry, the fear, and most of all the denial.

A sudden choked off sob unbiddenly got itself out of his mouth and tears gushed out.

The pain of possibly losing Tom…

With those thoughts, Tord cried out and came as more sobs were being released. His own body trembling for reasons other than pure pleasure and ecstasy.

Tom at that was alarmed and stopped all of his ministrations.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

Tom knew that Tord wasn’t the type to cry even if he was in pain. But the way the shorter male was sounding was making him think he must have done something terribly wrong to garner such a reaction. “Tord, my love, did I do something wrong? Did I end up hurting you? Do you want me to pull out?” He questioned in anxious concern and was about to free himself from the shorter man’s tempting quivering heat when a wail of negation came.

“No! Don’t!”

“Tord—”

“(1) Jeg har det bra. Jeg lover. Så vær så snill, ikke …,” the silvernette choked out in between sobs and wiped away his tears.

“I—Okay. Okay. I’m not going to pull out, Tord,” the brunet stated as he tried for a compromise, “That said, you have to tell me why are you crying.”

“No!”

“Tord…”

“(2) Faen…This is bloody awkward,” the eye patched man grumbled weakly.

“My love, please…”

A gem like green eye then stared directly into Tom’s voids and something within Tord further breaks as his pathetic emotions spews itself out of his traitorous mouth. “Please. Please. I’m sorry. I’m sorry so please.”

“What are you apologizing for, Commie?”

“I don’t love you!” Tord shouted before continuing softly as he sobbed wetly. “(3) Jeg elsker deg ikke… and yet I don’t want you to leave. I’m selfish, ruthless and cruel. Most of all, I’m a monster. I don’t deserve you and I don’t want you to leave.

You’re different from me.

You’re good. Brilliant. Merciful. Selfless. Most of all, people like you.

You’re nothing like me.

I have no right to have you by my side.

And yet, I want you to stay.

You’re the only one that I have left.

So please…Please don’t leave me. Please don’t throw me away and leave me behind.

Please. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’msorryI’msorryI’msorry…”

Voids meeting gem green, Tom cradled Tord’s shaking head and kissed the Norwegian’s wet lips. _“Tord must really be feeling so much since he’s going in and out between Norwegian and English,”_ the Brit internally mused as he assured, “It’s okay. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“But—”

“I know that you don’t love me but I already accepted that long ago,” Tom reassured as he wiped away Tord’s tears.

“(4) Det er feil,” the silvernette protested.

The Brit simply ignored such a protest and declared, “Don’t worry. I promise that I’ll never leave your side, Tord. After all, you are the only one that I want.”

With that, the eye patched man realized how his sobs began to die down and Tom was doing his best to whisper sweet nothings in his ear. Smiling sadly, he wrapped his arms around Tom and allowed the darkness to claim him.

* * *

**Translation of languages:**

(1) **Jeg har det bra. Jeg lover. Så vær så snill, ikke** [Norwegian] - I'm fine. I promise. So please, don't

(2) **Faen** [Norwegian] - Fuck

(3) **Jeg elsker deg ikke** [Norwegian] - I don't love you

(4) **Det er feil** [Norwegian] - It's wrong


	10. Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom ends up talking to Paul and Patryck about a certain issue and ends up lying instead.

Days had already passed since the embarrassing event of him crying while he and Thomas had sex. And yet, Tord couldn’t help but feel that whatever it was that was inside of him was getting worse.

The thing inside of him wanted Thomas, no, Tom to be always near him.

It was a pretty silly feeling actually and Tord did his best to squash such worthless feelings until he’s back to being his usual emotionless self. That being said, those feelings easily came back to him.

It would come to him in the most unexpected ways that there were moments Tord had to pause for a moment and breathe. He would pause and breathe as he’d check whether Tom was somewhere near him.

The feelings would only slightly abate when the damned Brit was close to him and hold his hand. Embrace him and whisper sweet promises unto his ear. If anything, these feelings were becoming so devastatingly frustrating that Tord had half a mind to start inventing a machine or serum that could just permanently remove such baseless emotions.

But Tom was there.

 _“Tom is still here beside me,”_ his traitorous mind would supply as he would feel himself calm down and ignore his plan of making a new invention.

_“Tom is still here and he promised that he would always remain.”_

Swallowing down his worries, he puts on a calm and impenetrable façade and turns his attention to the rest of his willing followers. He has a long day today and with Christmas coming, Tord thinks that it’s better to prepare and make sure things are done before the holidays.

* * *

As much as Tord always liked to pretend he didn’t have any emotions, Tom was starting to realize how the silvernette was acting differently even as subtle it was. After all, after the day the Norwegian sobbed so openly in his arms and asked him to stay as he apologized, Tom began watching the shorter man more closely.

He cataloged any little twitch and every single move.

Tord looked a lot calmer and happier whenever he knows that he was around and that was huge sign that something is going on within the Norski’s mind.

Tord asked him to stay.

No. Tord was begging him to stay and for some unknown reason, instead of being happy that he knew that he was being wanted, Tom felt as if Tord’s senses was telling them that they’d soon be separated.

The very thought of it being like that was appallingly alarming that Tom had to convince himself that there was nothing wrong. He would convince himself that he would be able to remain by Tord’s side.

Christmas was coming closer and Tom didn’t want Tord to feel so terrible on such a day. That even though he didn’t like the stupid holiday, he wanted it to be something his dearly beloved would be able to enjoy with a peace of mind.

“Y’know, you’ve been glaring at the photo of Lieutenant Mckenzie for the past fifteen minutes. If looks could kill and he were here, I bet that that man would already be six feet under,” Paul joked as he chewed on an apple.

Blinking his 8-bit eyes, Tom carefully readjusted his grip on Tord who was sleeping in his arms and turned to the two men in front of him.

Patryck Brezezicki and Paul Acthoven.

They were Tord’s most trusted men after him.

“He needs more training and understanding how it is to be a leader,” he diverted as he pushed up his visor up and massaged the bridge of his nose.

“You do have a point about that, Thomas. That said, you glaring at the man for the past fifteen minutes didn’t seem like to be just because of that,” Patryck reasoned out as he shoved another potato chip in his mouth and shuffled the digital documents in front of him.

Sighing at the Polish man’s words, Tom placed his visor back on and kissed Tord’s cheek as he swiped his fingers to change what’s in front of Tord’s tablet. “I may have a few things on my mind,” he admitted while reading a couple of sentences the file he currently opened had.

“And we take that these things are the reason why you touch the Red Leader more?” Patryck asked tersely as he now placed down his own tablet and leaned forward on his seat.

Bristling at the implication that what he was doing wrong, Tom held Tord’s waist with his left hand and subconsciously transformed himself to his half-monster form. His appearance changing as his hands became more of claws, horns grew out of his head, his size doubling in seconds, his tail whipping out in agitation and purple mist flowing out of his visor in warning of his anger.

“I take that my closeness with Red Leader is gaining some unwanted attention,” he growled out in challenge.

At that Paul all but whisper screeched as he slapped his lover’s head with a rolled-up paper magazine, “What the fuck, Pat!? What we discussed earlier in our bedroom is turning out to be quite different from what you’re doing.”

Tom then turned his attention at the short Dane and only said one word, “Explain.”

Paul coughed a bit to seemingly get his bearings and glared at the tall Pole before explaining, “Look, everybody and anybody who’s part of the Red Empire already knows about Tord and your relationship. After all, with the both of you attending the Valentine’s Ball together and Tord allowing you to wrap your arms around him as he smiles so brightly during a national telecast was a huge enough signal of what was going on.

That said, instead of any possible backlash that we have expected, your relationship with Tord had seemed to garner a lot of positive feedback. Any form of homophobic insult didn’t even occur and both the government and military sectors didn’t question your authority for even being together.

Heck, as much as unofficial as it is, you guys had basically become the Empire’s OTP and power couple for being such a poster child of how two very influential and powerful individuals with stressful and time-consuming jobs could be so put together in their relationship.”

“Your point?” Tom asked out impatiently as his tail protectively and possessively wrapped itself around Tord’s legs that hanged out of the chair.

“My point is,” Paul said in an exasperated tone as he continued, “no one is saying anything unwanted about your relationship with Tord. Pat here is just being a tad bit too melodramatic which made his words a little off sounding.

But what we mean to say is that, you stand a lot closer to him than usual when outside and whenever you guys are here in Tord’s office or somewhere it’s just the four of us. You like having Tord so close to you that you could be, more often than not, seen to have our little Red Princess on your lap.

Even when Tord’s eating, working or sleeping; he’s right there on your lap just like right now. And…Well, Pat and I are kind of worried since that’s not how you usually behave and that we’re also a little curious on why Tord is even tolerating this to happen. I mean, the three of us knows that Tord isn’t a fan of skinship and would rather not be touched at all if it was possible most of the times. However, these past few days, the both of you are literally sticking together and Tord’s basically the one to initiate sitting on your lap whenever it was possible.

So…As Tord’s closest friends and confidants, we’re really wondering on what’s going on.”

Hearing Paul’s explanation, Tom was conflicted on whether he should say anything about his worries. But knowing that the two of them were also quite rather close to Tord had a larger side of the Brit’s mind telling him to keep quiet.

Paul and Patryck did not need to know their issues.

Him and Tord were capable enough in dealing whatever it was that was bothering them.

Tom finally made up his mind after a few seconds of silence and shifted back to more of his human form save for his tail, horns and slightly sharper nails. His tail removing itself from the silvernette’s legs wrapped around Tord’s waist as he used both of his hands to grip the armrests of the chair he sat on and he lied, “Tord and I are thinking about getting married.”

“What the fuck, Tom!?” Paul and Patryck screamed in bewilderment and disbelief.

Then, with such a noise it wasn’t a surprise for Tom to feel how Tord was roused from sleep and greeted him with cold hidden anger, “Good morning, Tom.”


	11. Before Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom distracts Tord from being angry about the aftermath of his lie.

_“(1) Hva faen!?_

_(2) Seriøst, hva faen!?_

_Why did Tom have to lie about us thinking about marriage?”_ Tord internally complained as he paced their now shared quarters.

What was worse was that not only Paul and Patryck knew. Now everybody that was that directly working with them was sending their congratulations. _“(3) Som, hvilken blodig faen!?”_

Hearing the telltale sign of the door of their room closing, Tord growled in absolute anger and clenched his fists as he debated on whether he should beat the living shit out of Thomas. That being said, it looked like the Brit was able to get the gist of his thoughts since Thomas did his best to distract him with a kiss.

The kiss was gentle at first but slowly devolved into something sinful and devouring. Tongues were intertwined and Tord’s breathing was starting to become sluggish as his breath was being stolen from him by the taller man.

Then as if on cue when he almost felt like he was going to faint due to the lack of oxygen, Thomas finally released him so that the both of them could catch their breath.

“You’re a bloody fucking bastard, Tom,” Tord complained in pants as he used his robotic arm to moderately punch the brunet to make the other back off in pain.

“Oh c’mon, Tord,” the Brit entreated as he continued, “I didn’t mean for things to end up like this. But, with the way Paul and Patryck were asking, I couldn’t tell them the truth. We both know that you wouldn’t want that.”

“So, you told them we were thinking of marriage!?” Tord burst in annoyance as he further distanced himself from Tom and crossed his arms.

“Look. I’m sorry that this nonsense happened. That said, it isn’t like people know that we’re engaged or anything. As what public knowledge is, they know that we’re thinking about marriage, but it isn’t like we finally sealed the deal of when would it happen.

That, and I haven’t even proposed to you yet, so you have nothing to worry about. We could just say that we’re closer and touchier with each other since we’re having the idea and making plans. But there isn’t anything concrete yet in the works,” the brunet appeased as he walked a few steps Tord but stopped as he noticed how the Norwegian was getting more closed off with each step he took.

Silence permeated the air and Tord, in a way, understood Tom’s point. He understood it quite well. Nonetheless, the more emotional part of him was bristling in anger since the very news of them considering marriage was pretty much further stifling the possibility of him meeting the person he would fall in love with.

True, it was quite rather silly for him to even entertain such a notion. However, Tord knew that as much as he was a monster that could pretend to be so unfeeling, he knew that he still wanted be loved and in turn give such feelings of love back.

That as much as he wanted to destroy and remove such a pathetic part of him; Tord knew that he still yearned to have such an experience of giving love back. In a sense, to be able to attain such a state of falling in love, made him think that he isn’t a messed-up mistake that’s nothing more but comprised of ugly flaws.

To have the possibility of feeling love…

To him, it meant that he was human.

It meant that they were wrong and he could still be saved.

Clenching his jaw, Tord swallowed down his anger and forcefully tried to ignore his seething emotions. He tried to ignore the betrayal and disappointment he felt for Tom deciding things on his own.

“Fine,” he gritted out and held out his hand to Thomas to show that he was going to tolerate this faux pas that the taller man made.

“You’re still angry,” Thomas commented as he walked closer and apologetically kissed Tord’s outstretched human hand.

“Enough. We won’t speak about this ‘thing’ again unless it was necessary,” Tord grunted as he reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled in the Brit’s embrace.

Thomas then smiled at such actions and simply revelled at how the horned silvernette was allowing himself to be held by him. “As my beloved Commie wishes,” Tom teased a bit as he held Tord’s hand and pulled the shorter to their bedroom.

“You’re fucking insatiable,” Tord remarked as he allowed himself to be pulled and squashed down other negative feelings that he had.

 _“What’s done is done. I can’t keep on being angry for something that has already happened,”_ the horned silvernette sighed as he resigned himself to his current fate and just let everything wander off to the deft and experienced ministrations of a very insistent Brit.

* * *

It was basically close to Christmas Eve and at some point Tord was already getting used to the random greetings of congratulations that was directed his way. As it appeared like the lie that Thomas made of them thinking about marriage suddenly became a story of him getting engaged to the annoying eyeless brunet. Greetings were definitely being given left and right when he meets relatively new people who haven’t congratulated him before.

Luckily, Thomas wasn’t that stupid nor reckless enough to push his luck and even suggest about giving Tord a ring even if it were only for appearances sake. Because if the Brit did, Tord couldn’t promise that the visor wearing man would still be alive by the end of the physical beating that he was going to give.

Heck, forget about physically beating Thomas, Tord even sometimes thought that he might possibly shoot the fucking bastard if Thomas went down on his knee and pulled out a ring to propose. After all, tolerating Thomas’ romantic feelings for him and being in an official relationship with the man is quite rather different as compared to marrying him. Those two are far too different and Tord would rather not want to further add over complications to things for no good reason.

So here he was now.

Attending a Christmas Ball in France as he and the rest of the party participants waited for the holiday’s first light. Beside him stood Thomas who wore a delectably distracting form fitting blue tuxedo that wonderfully highlighted the Brit’s long legs, shapely arms, broad shoulders and well…the rest of his nice assets that Tord didn’t end up minding being publicly pawed on and ass groped by the other.

“Like what you see,” Thomas teased as he had Tord pressed against him and his right hand touching the inseam of the Norski’s pants just above Tord’s entrance.

“To—Tom, we’re still in public,” Tord whined in reminder as he felt the brunet push harder against his entrance even with all his clothes in the way.

“Then how about we take things in private?” Tom suggested as he gave little nips and kisses to Tord’s sensitive neck.

Choking back a moan, Tord momentarily closes his lone gem like green eye and gathers himself as he pushes Tom off of him. “Behave yourself this instant and we’re doing things in private pretty soon,” the horned male warned as he checked on the built-in watch function that his right mechanical arm had.

“It’s fucking 8:30 PM, Thomas. It’s a god damn too early of a time to leave,” Tord groused as he elbowed the far too horny and amused brunet right on the chest.

Tom merely rubbed his slightly pained chest and explained with a fond smile, “How can I possibly behave when you’re right in front of me being so tempting. Looking at you right now makes me want to ravish you.”

Tord scoffed at Tom’s words and shook his head. “We’re the ones to host this party, Thomas. We can’t just disappear and shirk our responsibilities just because you got horny.”

“It’s just a couple of more hours before the first light, Tord. People wouldn’t mind us gone since it looks like the rest of them are also busy with their own agendas,” Tom responded as he urged Tord in whispers, “Besides, weren’t you also affected when I held you earlier? Don’t you want me to continue holding you? Don’t you want me inside of you? Don’t you want me to make a mess out of you?”

At those words, Tord blushed a bright red and had the urge to punch the teasing Brit. That being said, the promises within them suddenly felt more appealing as to compared to waiting the remaining hours of the Ball as everybody else was getting relatively drunk.

If anything, the need to get fucked by the gorgeous pineapple-bowling ball hybrid was increasing.

 _“(4) Gud ... Hvorfor blir jeg til og med slått på på grunn av denne idioten ???”_ Tord internally groaned as he found himself giving in to Tom’s suggestion. Lone gem like green eye balefully glaring in disdain before its owner reluctantly inched back closer to the waiting brunet.

* * *

**Translation of languages:**

_(1) **Hva faen!?**_ [Norwegian] - What the fuck!?

 _(2) **Seriøst, hva faen!?**_ [Norwegian] - Seriously, what the fuck!?

 _(3) S **om, hvilken blodig faen!?”**_ [Norwegian] - Like, what the bloody fuck!?

 _4) **Gud ... Hvorfor blir jeg til og med slått på på grunn av denne idioten ???** _[Norwegian] - God... Why am I even turned on because of this idiot???


	12. Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord gives into Tom's whims and the Norski's feelings make him feel desperate to affirm that Tom would remain by his side.

Tom smiled as he noticed how Tord gave in and abruptly pulled the shorter male to do a princess carry; with him not caring about the fast clicking shutters of cameras or the increased volume of whispers that their audience were making. Tom basked at what he was being freely given by Tord and smiled since he knew that if it were back then the silvernette would never even allow something like this to happen in public.

For Tord to allow something like this to be done; it was making Tom’s heart flutter and his feelings of happiness soar. To carry Tord in such a manner would be a sign of public claiming. A claiming that Tord was his and his alone. That he was the one to make the Red Leader happy and be the only one to make Tord sing while being embraced.

Fixing his expression to a soft smile, Tom noted how Tord was quiet and hiding his face at the crook of his neck. “Let’s go back to our hotel room now,” he suggested as he held the silvernette closer and walked out of the venue.

“You’re terrible, Thomas,” the shorter groused in petulance before giving a sharp bite right under Tom’s jaw. The pain that it came with was soon enough soothed by gentle licks and kisses that had Tom walking faster to their car.

Fortunately, the chauffeur/soldier they had employed that night was patiently on stand by and were simply awaiting for orders which was why as soon as they were out towards the parking lot, he had the soldier understand that they be immediately brought to their hotel and ignore whatever it was happening in the back seat.

Oddly enough, Tom found Tord to be quite rather behaved today and noticed how the Norwegian was more responsive and accepting of his advances. That as much as Tord would willingly accept being fucked by him, usually the silvernette would be bratty about it. Tord would order him around and try to be the one on top (riding him).

But as of the past few days and right now, Tord was unusually compliant and say, submissive, which had Tom thinking that Tord must be once again bothered by that weird feeling of his. “Is it bothering you again?” He asked in concern as he loomed over the sprawled-out form of the Norski on their bed.

Tord merely gave him a complicated smile and pulled him for a kiss to whisper, “Please make love to me, Tom.”

* * *

_“Why?_

_(1) Hvorfor har jeg lyst på dette?_

_Throughout the day, I can’t help on having the nagging feeling that I might lose Tom pretty soon. It felt like if I lose sight of him, I would permanently lose the annoying Brit.”_

It was unreasonable.

To feel such.

But…

It was the reason why he was willing to allow Tom to do what he wanted. Just like how the brunet publicly princess carried him out of the venue.

And now, Tord just wanted nothing more but to be fully embraced.

To have his mind filled with nothing else but the love and pleasure that Tom would willingly give him.

_“I don’t want to lose him._

_Never._

_I don’t want this to be our last time.”_ Tord thought as the panic and anxiety inside of him was steadily rising in waves.

“Please make love to me,” he whispered to Tom as the other’s visor glowed higher in intensity and had him yearning for more. It had him yearning to be fully engulfed in the Brit’s presence and know that Tom was there right by his side.

Tord then bared his neck as an invitation and directly stared back at Tom’s green 8-bit eyes.

Clothes were then stripped and flung aside, kisses were exchanged and as of the moment Tord was keening at how roughly Tom was treating his sensitive nipples. The harsh flicks and bites were making the silvernette confused on whether he should push away or pull in Tom’s insistent ministrations.

A high whine found itself in Tord’s throat as one of the Brit’s hands found its way near his entrance. The digits circling the shorter man’s fluttering hole were surprisingly slippery and wet. Again and again, they were doing nothing else but gently touch his entrance. Not until a short sob slipped its way out of Tord’s lips as he babbled on how he wanted Tom to be inside of him soon.

One digit became two and from there it soon became four, Tord whined at how long the brunet was preparing him. He begs, “Tom. Tom please. Inside. I need you ins—ah—ide.”

“Then show me,” the brunet orders as he pulls his fingers out and palms his own erection, “Show me how much you need me by presenting.”

Whimpering at the loss and emptiness, Tord vaguely registers the command and tried to make his trembling body to go on his stomach and on fours to present when Tom’s hand pushes him back down. “Present like this to me. On your back with your knees pulled up to your chest. Hold open your entrance and beg for me,” the Brit stated as he placed more lubricant on his raging manhood.

Tord followed as what he was instructed and held his aching entrance with both of his hands. Looking at Tom, he begs. He begs and whines; promising things that once his rational mind returns, he would regret.

He promises to try. He promises Tom that he would try to learn and love him. That, and he promises a few other things as long it would ensure that Tom would remain by his side. 

He begs, cries, whines and sobs until Tom finally pushes himself in to the hilt in one thrust and Tord mewls at the sudden pleasure.

It was good.

Tom and his cock had always been good. But right at that moment it was just sinfully delicious.

It was so good that Tord hadn’t realized he was quivering in need as Tom was coaxing him back to the present with whispers and kisses.

“Shh…It’s okay, Tord. I’ll always be here. I’ll never leave you. I’ll always remain by your side. I love you. I’ll always love you.

Even if we ever got separated or I’m asked to pick sides, I’ll always choose you and follow you wherever you are.”

The silvernette hiccupped as he tried to catch his breath and blinked his lone functional eye. Tord could see that Tom was watching him. He could see that the brunet was being patient and comforting as he gently caressed his badly trembling body.

“I’m sorry,” Tord mumbled in apology as he understood that he was making Tom worried for no good reason again. Once again, he was ruining another moment that they had together.

“No. It’s okay. You’re doing so good for me,” the visored brunet cooed as he slowly rocked his hips and pulled Tord unto his chest.

Tord wrapped his legs around Tom’s waist and embraced the Brit’s broad shoulders. He whimpered at the gentle motions and clenched tighter around the other’s throbbing manhood.

“So pretty," Tom’s face pressed to his cheek and licked away his flowing tears.

“Tom~~,” Tord whined as he tried to buck and make their fucking go into faster pace.

Tom’s hands then went to the silvernette’s hips and pulled Tord up a bit before slamming him down. The Norwegian gasps and pulls himself a bit to kiss Tom’s shining lips.

Their pace of coupling was increasing and Tom directed both of Tord’s legs on top of his shoulders. The back of the horned man’s pale creamy thighs was touching Tom’s toned stomach and Tord mewled loudly at the change of angle.

Tom was hitting his insides deeper and somehow Tord couldn’t help himself from wanting more.

His cries for faster, harder and deeper were growing in magnitude as Tom were acquiescing to his whims with an all too smug smile.

“My love. Oh, my dear sweet beautiful, Commie,” Tom breathed whenever he had the spare breath. Kissing as much skin that he could reach and marking Tord as his, he held the shorter man closer and spoke more sweet things unto the trembling man’s ears.

Tord felt his release was coming closer and warned, “I—I’m close…”

“It’s okay, love. You can cum as much as you want,” Tom assured as he upped his pace and pushed deeper as he was now practically bouncing Tord unto his cock with his monster enhanced strength.

At that, Tord scrabbled on Tom’s back, doing his best to anchor himself as the Brit was steadily tearing him apart.

Then at a random deep thrust, the eye patched male came screaming which after a few minutes his orgasmic high was coming down. Nonetheless, Tom was still continuing his harsh drilling penetration.

The overstimulation was too much. Too good.

And yet, Tord wasn’t interested in making the Brit stop.

So, once he felt Tom cum inside of him and start pulling out, he gingerly stopped the taller and smiled tearfully. “More. I want more,” Tord entreated as he touched his sloppily twitching and wet entrance.

“Fuck.” Tom cursed in awe and astonishment as his cock twitched into hardness inside of the delectably pleading silvernette.

“Fine, I’ll fuck you as much as you want,” the visored man promised as he bit the inside of Tord’s thigh and gave a challenging smile. “I wonder if I can make you cum 8 times.”

Tord simply moaned at those words and bared himself further to Tom’s ministrations. “Please…I need you, Tom.”

* * *

Translation:

 _(1) **Hvorfor har jeg lyst på dette?**_ [Norwegian] **-** Why do I feel like this?


	13. Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord wakes Tom up with a nice surprise.

Tord woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the heat of the sun lighting up his face. Cracking his eye open, he ran a hand on his face and realized how Tom removed his eyepatch and must have cleaned him up at some point after their vigorous fucking session.

Now that Tord thought about it, he remembered at how Tom made him cum 10 times. Half of which were more of dry orgasms since his dick couldn’t even give out anything after the fifth mark. Which was why, Tord understood why his whole body felt dried and totally fucked out.

And yet, the memory of last night still made his weak hapless cock twitch pathetically and his ass throb in the want of being filled again.

“(1) Faen,” Tord groaned at dismay with how his own body became so traitorously lecherous and burrowed himself deeper in Tom’s comforting embrace. It was still too early for this kind thing and yet he was aching for more which had him hating himself for having a weakness.

So, to distract himself, Tord stared up to watch at how the sun’s rays were highlighting Tom’s features. He watched as how without the visor the brunet looked a lot less guarded and intimidating. He watched as how Tom looked a lot relaxed and younger.

Tord then raised up his human hand and gently traced the Brit’s features a couples of times before he leaned closer and gave the sleeping man a soft kiss.

True, he did not have any feelings of love for Tom even with all that happened with them through the years. But that didn’t put out the fact that he was grateful and happy for the loyalty and dedication that Tom always gave.

So, giving kisses and the rest of his body to the taller man wasn’t beyond him. If anything, Tord knew what he was giving could hardly amount to what the other offered but he was still glad that Tom still found such enough.

To be held by Tom…

Tord took in a deep breath and smiled when he was able to coax the sleeping man to have a deeper kiss. His tongue entwining with the brunet’s slack one, he pushed the Brit unto his back and straddled the other.

_“Now that I remember it, Tom did say when Matt, Edd and I were all drunk and talking back then about the kinks and things we’d like to experience during sex, he’d wanted to experience what it is to wake up being serviced and inside of someone willing. He did say that with all his past relationships, no one had done that for him before._

_So…I think I might as well try it since we’re actually in a relationship and it’s Christmas. I might as well let the idiot experience something good during the day he hates the most,”_ Tord internally mused as he touched his hole and noticed at how loose and wet it was as it ached to have the Brit inside again.

Sighing at the discovery, the silvernette pumped Tom’s cock into hardness and positioned it at his entrance. After which, he slowly sank down until everything was deep inside and moaned at the fullness he was feeling.

Pulling himself together, Tord forced his trembling body to cooperate and rocked himself as he slipped up and sat down at the thickness driving inside of him. He was doing this for Tom he convinced himself and denied how he was doing things just to sate himself.

Moaning loudly as a particular thrust had rubbed prostate and ravaged his insides, Tord soon found the Brit’s warm hands holding his hips and two black voids staring at him with intensity.

“It seems that someone is having their fun while I was asleep,” the brunet grunted as he thrusted up while bringing the shorter harshly down onto his manhood.

Tord screamed at the sudden added depth and his insides convulsed at the pleasure. His hands, both robotic and human, scrambled at his own hair as he needed something to anchor himself. “Tom!”

“I always love how you cry out my name,” Tom crooned as he used one of his hands to direct the Norwegian’s scrambling appendages to hold onto his chest.

“Tom~~~”

“Fuck. I’m close to cumming, darling,” the eyeless man remarked as he bit one of Tord’s nipples and thrusted harder into the shorter male’s clenching hole.

A soundless scream then came out as the silvernette spasmed on Tom’s cock and Tord’s own manhood twitched weakly as he had a dry orgasm that wracked through his body.

Not a few moments later, Tom followed and familiar warmth from the Brit’s seed had flooded into Tord’s core. Both of them were catching their breaths in pants; simply basking themselves in the afterglow and the presence of each other.

Seconds slowly turned into minutes and Tom finally had the interest to ask, “What brought this lovely surprise on?”

“Would you believe me if I told you that I wanted to be a proper lover and have you experience waking up to something good on the day you hate the most?” Tord tiredly supplied as he forced his sole functioning eye to open and watch the Brit’s reactions.

And Tom did not disappoint.

Tord was able to see how the brunet appeared to be very pleased and more than happy with such a response that Tom was grinning and looked like he just got the greatest gift on that day.

“Y’know, you didn’t have to do this for me, Tord.”

“Well, I wanted to, okay? So, stop thinking that I’m merely forcing myself just for your sake.”

Tom sighed at those words and kissed the Norwegian to convey all that he felt.

 _“It was sweet and intoxicating,”_ those were Tord’s thoughts on how the Brit was kissing him. The kiss was neither too rough and demanding or too soft and slow. It was just right and Tord further melted into Tom’s embrace.

It was soothing and it felt good.

For Tord, Tom always felt good whenever the Brit was like this with him; close and intimate. However, as much good that he felt, the needy irrational and emotional side of him would always try to reason how Tom wasn’t the person he loved. It would ask on why would he waste his time on the brunet when he could use the said time to search for the person he would love and be his other half.

Honestly, it was pretty silly.

Which was why, he’d usually shove that side of him as far as his mind could and try to ignore it. But right now? It was odd that that said side wasn’t even reacting.

It was too silent and it felt like he’d currently want to just bask into such warmth.

Nonetheless, Tord pulled back a bit and shifted as he still felt how Tom was deep inside. “You know, as much as I like having you inside me, Tom, I still want to have some breakfast.”

Then right on cue, Tom’s own stomach made a loud rumble which had both men ending up in laughter. “Fuck. Okay, Commie. It seems my own stomach is agreeing with you,” the Brit choked out in between huffs of laughter and caressed the Norski’s well bruised hips.

“Well, why don’t we clean up first and get breakfast later? We could travel around and indulge a bit after eating since it’s Christmas. I mean, we could even consider this as our first Christmas date as an official couple,” the silvernette carefully suggested as he turned his head away to look at the hotel window and avoid giving away any of his embarrassment for even saying such a plan.

“Sure,” Tom affirmed as he took hold of Tord’s chin and gave the shorter man another deep kiss as he pulled out of the other’s wonderful heat. With that, he then took the naked Norwegian in his arms and carried him to the bathroom to start their day.

* * *

**Language Translation:**

(1) **Faen** [Norwegian] - Fuck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter would start to be "The Beginning of the End" for Tom and Tord's relationship. 
> 
> I wonder what are your thoughts for this chapter.


	14. Red Christmas [Part 1]

Why?

Why did things turn out to be like this?

Tom and him were just enjoying their day.

They were simply minding their own business and looking at the sights.

But now....

The two of them were fighting for their lives as the sounds of bombs were going off and gun fire were running amok as the screams of different people rang out.

Tord frowned as he was able to see as even civilians were getting killed off in the current exchange. Beside him, Tom was in his half monster form snapping necks of enemies whenever they were close enough that he need not waste bullets.

Throwing off his own grenade, Tord was able to see how he was able to kill off a number of people and tugged Tom to follow him out of the glass pyramid that they were trapped in.

The snow was falling heavily and the ground was thick with its whiteness. Nonetheless, the outside's purity was immediately losing its beauty due to the ensuing chaos. Debris, flames and bullets were flying about and the snow was quickly being covered by the fire and blood.

Tord took a deep breath and was unabashedly using his ray gun to vaporize enemies that were in his range. Ignoring everything else but the thought of making sure he and Thomas leave this mess alive; Tord wasn't able to notice how a rocket propelled grenade came their way. He wasn't able to notice anything until Tom jumped on him and immediately forced himself to transform into full monster form to protect him from the explosion.

The explosion was loud and the heat of it was too much as much as Tom took most of the RPG's effect. Looking up to check on the Brit, Tord wasn't happy to find the large purple monster breathing heavily as blood dripped down its mouth.

Biting the inside of his own mouth, he asked in unadulterated concern, "Tom, please tell me that you're okay?"

The monster growled a bit and carefully licked his face to signify that he was okay before standing up and gathering Tord in his arm in a protective embrace. The Norwegian then did his best to shoot his ray gun at as much enemies as he could while being carried by a furious monster that was turning enemy vehicles in shredded metal.

"Tom, go to the left and head forward. I've received communication from Pat and Paul that they're already close and the helicopter would be landing in the designated area that's close to us," Tord commanded as they waded through the heavy fire of artillery and explosions.

Which fortunately enough didn't last long since back up finally came.

Men from the French branch of the Red Army were fighting back and a few others were taking in the few remaining civilians. During which, Patryck and Paul had both Tord and the large monster ride the V-22 Osprey and lift off.

Inside the air craft, a number of medics were quick to check on Tord's injuries and Tom returned to his human form as he hovered close to where the Norwegian was. "(1) Merde. Arrête de me surveiller et va immédiatement à Tom." Tord barked in fluent French as he pushed away the irritating crowd and pointed at the quiet Brit.

"I'm fine, Tord," Tom assured as he stretched his body and tentatively allowed the now scared crowd to do their orders since it looked like Tord was close to having people executed again.

"But you've taken the worst of the RPG," the silvernette argued as he paced the Osprey's cargo area and watched as the brunet was being fussed over by the medical team.

"I'm fine, Tord. I swear."

"But—"

"I was in my monster form when that happened. So, you have to stop worrying. I'm not seriously injured or anything," the Brit explained as he finally had enough of the Norwegian's worrying and gestured for the medical team to back off.

Tom then strode forward to the currently stationary and silent horned man and pulled Tord into his embrace as he ignored how everybody else probably staring at them right now. After all, it was the first-time people other than him could see how Tord wasn't really an unemotional monster and know that Tord actually cared about people as much as gossip goes.

So, going back to his half monster form, Tom took the shorter man in his arms as he walked farther from the gawking group and protectively wrapped himself around Tord. Whispering promises to Tord's ear, he vowed, "It's okay. Everything will be okay, Tord. After all, I would always remain by your side."

* * *

"He lied.

Tom lied.

Tom lied to me," Tord growled as the anger he currently felt was overshadowing the sorrow that was trying to consume him.

Before him laid Tom's cold and unresponsive body that was covered in red. The gaping hole on the Brit's chest reminded Tord how the man was forcefully taken away from him as the brunet pushed him out of danger and had taken his place.

Closing his eye, Tord forced himself to ignore how he wanted to do nothing else but cry and mourn for his loss. But the more rational part of him knew that he shouldn't be showing any weakness at the current moment as those against him would easily enough try to pull him down.

So, as he opened his eye, he decided to take Tom's deceased body in his arms and walk through the carnage he had ended up leaving behind.

He walked through the haze of fire and piles of corpses that his anger had left in its wake. The pool of blood that were mysteriously twisting in shapes. The purple waves of electricity that were rippling in an uncontrolled manner. And the icy trail each of his footsteps left on the ground.

All of it were made by him and this was all caused by the grief he felt at the loss of Tom.

His most loyal, disciplined and dedicated soldier.

His dear lover.

He finally lost him in this accursed Red Christmas day.

* * *

**Translations:**

(1) **Merde. Arrête de me surveiller et vaimmédiatement à Tom.** [ French] - Fuck. Stop checking on me and immediately go to Tom.


	15. Red Christmas [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In pure anger Tord orders something for retribution and Tord remembers how Tom died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> To anyone who's reading this, whatever Tord does here doesn't signify I hate someone or some people. The carnage that's about to happen is just based on what I think that Tord's going do if Tom really did die. 
> 
> So yeah, I hope no one gets angry with me.
> 
> This story is just pure fiction. It doesn't aim to hurt anyone real.

It was amusing.

It was utterly amusing how people assumed that he would just let Tom's death go unpunished and move on like nothing happened.

True, he may not have loved the Brit. Nonetheless, his feelings of sentiment and connection for the man ran farther than any other friend or family he had.

He may have not loved him. But he still cared for him.

Which was why, as preposterous as it sounded, he had his army's doctors tend to Tom's corpse and make sure he looked like he was still alive as much as dead the brunet may be. He instructed them to heal Tom's wounds even it meant placing Tom in the new healing solution that he had made that can even regrow body parts and after which place the Brit in a cryogenic chamber for preservation and safety keeping.

He made sure that Tom was well taken care of in the few hours of his return before turning to his men with a mask of impassiveness. "Tell everyone in our army, for anyone who has any French citizenship or lineage, renounce your identity immediately or face the consequences of your homeland's betrayal," he ordered in cold fury as he walked with Patryck and Paul; the two trailing behind him in subservience and regret.

"Tord, you shouldn't do this," Patryck weakly advised as he could feel the dangerous aura that the shorter man was radiating with.

"And what? Let those idiots spit on the fact that they thought that they killed me? Let them spit on the very fact that they killed Tom?" Tord asked with icy liquid fury as he stopped on his steps and waited for an answer.

"No. Tord's right in this, Pat. We should let France face the consequences of their betrayal and make the others understand that we would not tolerate such similar acts in the future," Paul intoned as he glared at his lover down and opted to openly support Tord's decision.

"But—"

"They had it telecasted in international television that announced my death, Patryck. What can you not understand about that?"

"I'm sorry, Tord. I mean, I just assumed that you weren't thinking well because Tom died to protect you," Patryck apologized earnestly before giving the Norwegian a slight squeeze at the shoulder for encouragement.

Which unfortunately for the tall Pole was a wrong move as currents of purple lightning warningly zapped out of him and had him taking back his hand at being shocked by the current. Before him, frost seemed to grow out of Tord's feet and the darkness of the corridor they were in in was only getting darker.

Tord finally turned in their direction to look at them and both the trailing men gasped at what they saw. The scars on the silvernette's face were visibly and rapidly healing; the patch that was covering his empty eye socket was glowing bright green in tandem with Tord's visible green eye.

A low growl then began to sound out as Tord threw the now unnecessary eye patch on his face to reveal a fully healed right eye that has the same cat slits as the other. "What do you mean by not thinking well because of Tom!? Are you saying that I shouldn't do anything for his sake!?" Tord snarled in righteous anger as he stared at the two men in front of him.

Patryck at those words turned away in silence and in fear while Paul merely stared back at the horned man's glowing eyes and patiently waited for an order.

This then had Tord laughing in hollowed amusement and had Patryck temporarily dismissed from command as it appears like the man would not perfectly follow his orders. While, he had Paul follow him back to the command center and gather all of their generals and executive officials.

"You're quite rather controlled," Tord commented as his anger for the Polish man's mistake simmered.

"I understand how you feel," the Dane answered back and continued, "After all, if it were me in your shoes and Patryck had died, I would be giving the same order in the disguise of the consequence that France would get for mocking us."

"Then it means you're fine about me ordering the end and destruction of a whole nation? You're fine with what I'm about to do?"

"If it's what makes you happy, I'll support until very end," Paul declared with certainty and smiled at his hurting leader. He smiled at his hurting friend and promised that he would help him as much as he could.

Smiling cruelly as he arrived at the meeting room, Tord watched as his generals and rest of his Army and the Empire's executives were awaiting his command.

"Tonight, before Christmas ends. We will show France that today marks their end and the it would be known in history as how their fall and destruction happened because of their folly and greed.

Today would be marked in history as Red Christmas for the death of their nation and the death of Thomas Rodgewell which they had caused. Today, before the clock strikes twelve midnight, France shall burn and they would be no more." Tord ordered with absolute contempt and malice.

Facing forward, Tord waited as his orders were being followed and France finally burned.

* * *

It was beautiful.

Watching how the snow fell on Tom as they were viewing the sunset and the last remaining light of the sun was bathing the brunet in an almost ethereal red glow.

The sight was so beautiful that Tord was starting to dismiss the fact their Christmas this year was so shitty. After all, the Brit was currently smiling here in front of him as they were standing on a snow-covered cliff that was close to the base that they currently had in France.

Whatever happened earlier all seemed to not matter as Tom pulled him in an embrace and kissed him just the way he liked. The kiss was neither too rough nor was it too soft. Tom was only entangling his tongue with him in some kind of elaborate dance and sucking it from time to time that had Tord moaning in pleasure.

As such, Tord's knees buckled and the Norwegian had to hold on to the Brit's broad shoulders while Tom cradled his head with one hand and his waist was wrapped in another. The sensation of being held in such a manner was a bliss to the silvernette as the pleasure he felt seemed to increase proportional to the breath he was losing.

And just right when he thought he was going to lose consciousness because of the pleasure something unexpected happened.

Tom forcefully pushed him down the cliff and as he looked up; Tord ended up staring in horror as Tom was now sporting a gaping hole in his chest and blood was spurting out of his mouth.

A lone green gem like eye widened in pain and anger at the sight that Tord screamed, "Tom!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? 
> 
> Was it that bad?


	16. Red Christmas [Part 3]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord finally finds out who had betrayed him and killed Tom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> I just remembered that someone asked if the story was now ending considering that Tom is dead. So, to answer your question....
> 
> The story is actually just beginning. 
> 
> If you want to know how that happened, please just read the rest of the chapters. That said, I may answer a couple of questions if asked.

* * *

He was falling.

He was falling down the cliff and knew that if things continued as is with his descent, he was going to get injured. Nonetheless, Tord barely gave a fuck about that at that moment. But instead he worried about how the brunet was doing.

Was Tom still alive?

Or was he dead?

Tom was in his full human form when they were on top of that cliff and the sudden answer for his question that he was able to deduce was something he didn't liked.

So, closing his eye to gather his thoughts, he remembered about the new upgrade that he had done to his robotic arm and went for a reaching motion as a long cord of metallic wire sprung forth and attached itself to the top of cliff. Which easily enough, as his eye opened, the cord pulled him forward and back up the cliff to find himself surrounded by an army of people wearing red uniforms.

They were all wearing his army's uniform.

All of the people who were pointing their weapons at him belonged to the French branch of his army. While, Patryck and Paul were unconscious and tied up on the ground.

This was a betrayal.

It looks like France was finally saying it had enough and was going to rebel against him and the very notion of it made him laugh manically in pure utter disdain. "I see that your country is being quite rather ungrateful," Tord harshly commented after his laugh and observed how these greedy ambitious fools would take in his provocation.

"It's time for you to step down, Red Leader," Lieutenant General Francois remarked as he walked forward a bit and stared at Tom's bleeding body.

"And you think I would!? Just because Thomas Rodgewell died wouldn't mean I would step down from my position," Tord confidently declared as he swallowed down the bile that was rising in his throat as he disregarded the handsome Brit's death.

"Ah...You really are a callous man, Red Leader. For you to disregard your own lover's death as if it were nothing. Now that I remembered it, you and he were engaged and were supposed to be married sometime later next year, correct?" The annoying raven taunted as he came closer to Tom's body and gave it a kick.

Tord forced down his anger and impassively replied, "I don't find any reason to answer such questions, Francois. My relationship with Thomas has no connection to my position as the Empire's sole ruler and Emperor."

"Well...Since threatening you doesn't work. I guess that death is your only option now, Red Leader," the Lieutenant General cooed in a mocking manner before bending down to take hold of Tom's cold body.

Tord was hardly affected by the raven's threats but when the said bastard decided to take Tom in his arms; something in the Norwegian felt as if it wanted to let loose. "What are you going to do to Thomas?" He shouted as the said thing inside of him was boiling over with fury and making him feel as if something big was about to happen.

"Isn't obvious, Red Leader? His body has the key to the astounding monster serum you have made. It would be such a waste to leave such a nice specimen behind," Lieutenant General Francois explained as he turned himself around and walked back to his group.

"(1) Hommes, il est temps de tuer ce démon tyrannique.

(2) Pour le bien de notre pays. Pour le bien du monde.

(3) Les Français se lèveront et gouverneront le monde."

With those words from the raven-haired bastard, the waiting men were finally aiming their weapons to fire when a bright flash of red and blue light happened as the sound of an explosion was heard in the sudden mayhem.

* * *

Tord didn't know how long he was out but with the sky so dark he basically knew that it was night time when he awoke. That being said, the scent of flames and burnt flesh hung heavily in the air

Gathering his bearings as much as he could, the Norwegian was surprised to find Tom's body in his arms as currents of red and blue lightning were protectively dancing around the both of their skins. What's more the ground that he was kneeling upon was covered in hard ice and there appeared to be squirming pillars of liquid that looked a lot like blood.

"Tord, are you okay?" Someone screamed which had the horned silvernette push the Brit's body protectively closer to him.

"Pat, shut up. It's obvious that Tord isn't okay," another voice commented which had the eye patched man unconsciously order the lightning to gather further around him and Tom for their protection.

"Fuck. Tord, its us. Paul and Patryck," the second voice shouted out in hopes of appeasement which fortunately enough saved the two worried men from getting blown up like the rest of the French branch.

"Paul, Pat?" Tord whispered in confusion as he tried to blink away this weird hazy feeling that was making him feel as if he was being submerged in icy arctic waters.

"Is Tom..." The Dane worriedly trailed off which had Tord snapping back at remembering his anger, "He's dead."

"Oh..." was the only thing that Patryck was able to supply before the silvernette was able to notice how the two differently colored lightning currents, blue and red, began to fuse. And not a few moments later, only the purple color remained.

Purple...

Tom would end up being a purple monster whenever he transformed and right now the said colored lightning was somehow reminding Tord of the deceased Brit.

So, biting the inside of his cheek until it bled, Tord forced himself to stand up and lift Tom's body. Staying in such a place for longer periods of time would be inadvisable. The French resistance might soon send reinforcements and Tord definitely knows that the three of them were unprepared.

"Pat, Paul, look for any vehicle we could use to travel back to Norway. Our people need to know about France's current rebellion and immediately deal with such a horrid transgression," Tord commanded as he felt the momentary need to be left alone with his dead lover.

"As you commanded," the two soldiers replied in unison with a salute and ran to the French base's hangar.

With him and Tom now alone, Tord was now openly starting to hate this blood-stained Christmas and despise how the snow and even Tom were covered by blood.

Everything was red.

Everything he cared for was now covered in red and Tord was not happy about it.

* * *

**Language Translations:**

(1) **Hommes, il est temps de tuer ce démon tyrannique.** [French] - Men, it's time to kill this tyrannical demon.

(2) **Pour le bien de notre pays. Pour le bien du monde.** [French] - For the good of our country. For the good of the world

(3) **Les Français se lèveront et gouverneront lemonde.** [French] - The French will rise and rule the world.


	17. Aftermath

* * *

The death of millions were what the rest of the world woke up to.

Right now, France was currently covered in flames and the scattered bodies of its citizens.

France had now officially fallen and no soul remained alive to live in it.

The news of their rebellion was made known along with the announcement of the death of sir Thomas Rodgewell, the Red Leader's bodyguard, right hand man and fiancé. The man was being held as a hero who served his Emperor and the Empire well until his death.

That being said, as brutal and horrific events may have had happened, the Red Empire and its army still went on its way. Administration was still being held and the Red Leader was still surprisingly functioning well.

However, there had been some gossip that not all as it seems.

The Red Leader is not okay and is still grieving for his loss.

France may have already fallen and yet it wouldn't be able to bring back the man that the Red Leader cared about.

* * *

How many days had it been since that accursed day?

How many days had it been since Tom died?

Tord Athanasia Obelia was quietly ruminating this sordid fact as he burrowed himself farther into his bed's blankets. With him placing himself on the side which the Brit usually slept on and realized how the said side still had Tom's comforting scent.

"Tom..." the quiet silvernette unconsciously called out as he closed his eyes and tried to bury himself on the brunet's memory and presence.

That being said, the familiar ringing of an alarm clock had Tord sighing at the very fact he had to get ready and prepare himself for all the work he had on that day. That, as much as he wanted to stay where he was and mourn as he cries his heart out for the loss of Tom, he still had his duties as an Emperor. He still had his duties to make the resistance and former world governments understand that what he was doing was for the world's own need and safety.

After all, as much as Tom had referred to him as a Commie whenever he could, he didn't take over the world just to spread communism. What's more, he wasn't even a communist to begin with.

He only took over because the ones who were in position were actually more sinister than what they made themselves look. Human experimentations for the Human Immortality Project. Neglect to the people. Wastage of resources. The unadulterated and uncontrolled increase of pollution. The huge monsters and undead that were popping out due to the government's sloppy disposal and containment of their experiments.

Everything about those just spelled the Earth's disaster and it was close to looking like the world wouldn't last any longer if it continued for a couple more years before he started to gather his own men and create the Red Army.

True, he may not be a Saint and conquered the world out of pure intentions. Nonetheless, his contributions to it were aiding the world to be rebuilt and have a better future for its people and succeeding generations.

He wasn't doing things for pure evil.

He only did things for what he thought was right and whether that something was worth it.

And now....

Was he doing something that's still worth it?

Tom's gone.

Paul and Patryck may be, in a certain sense, close to him but it wasn't anything near to what he had to Tom. It wasn't that even close to how he felt familial with his own father.

Then, there's Edd and Matt. The two idiots which he also cared for didn't want to do anything with him. If anything, both of them were keen in fighting him. Both of them were fighting for a misconstrued and twisted cause that did nothing else but manipulate people.

Therein, what's the point of creating and ruling an Empire when the people you would want to rule it with were now gone and, if not, didn't want to do anything with him?

What's the point?

* * *

Days had turned into weeks and then into months.

The world had become more mindful at what happened after the incident of Red Christmas. After all, a whole nation had just been decimated at the orders of its rightful ruler, Red Leader.

Any form of rebellion was being culled from its own insides since a number of members feared for the outcome of their nation and its citizens. That being said, for those who were innocent, its citizens were well taken care of and prospered at the blessings of their Lord Master.

"Give it up, Edd," Tord intoned as he watched his former friend squirm in the hold of his own resistance members.

"I won't!" The cola addict screamed.

Sighing at the other's stubbornness, Tord merely came forward and gently patted Edd's head. "You know, I never had the interest of hurting either of you or Matt. Even back then when I was about to take my robot."

"Lies!" The green hoodie spat and struggled to get away from the silvernette's touch.

Ignoring Edd's struggles, Tord then turned to the other captive of the room and watched as Matt stood stock still. Doing nothing else but stare him in an unreadable expression.

Frowning, the Norwegian placed his human hand on the ginger's forehead and found that Matt didn't have a fever. That said, with the way the other was acting was a bit worrying so he asked, "Matt, are you okay?"

"How the fuck is he okay when you have us here captured!?" Edd screeched.

Again, ignoring Edd's bullshit, Tord now took Matt's face with both of his hands and peered up at the taller man's eyes. Those baby blues were now him watching with such focus that the Norski wondered whether the other was high on something when Matt suddenly spoke, "You have Tom's scent all over you."

Tord stilled at those words and abruptly pulled back his hands as if he were burnt.

"Matt, what the fuck are you talking about!? What do you mean by Tom has his scent all over this fucking bastard?"

"It means what it means," Matt monotoned as he stared at Tord before shaking his head and looking away.

"But—"

The silverenette finally had enough of the duo's current nonsense and turned his back at the two as he walked out of the room. "Make sure our guests are properly taken care of," Tord ordered the soldiers following him as he gave the two one last glance and left.

"Yes, sir," a soldier saluted and Tord frowned as he wondered on what he would now do with his former friends.


	18. The End of the Gang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Scent marking
> 
> If anybody's wondering why Matt's sense of smell is quite rather sensitive, I'll attribute it to the fact that when he became a vampire his senses were enhanced. This improvement on him remained even if he was able to reverse his state of being a vampire.

It was interesting.

Matt was being quite rather cooperative while Edd was being stubborn as usual. The green hoodied male was still insistent that Tord was an evil communist and that he was right on fighting for his cause to stop Tord.

It was interesting.

Watching the two act in a controlled environment was somehow calming Tord's frazzled nerves. Nonetheless, its effect wasn't as good as when Tom was around.

Tom's presence itself was calming and the Brit's voice had always been soothing. May it be simply talking or singing; Tom's voice did enough wonders to his fucked-up psyche when things were definitely getting out of hand.

Closing his eyes, Tord was surprised to find himself being wrapped in an embrace that he was quite familiar with but unused due to the length of time he hadn't experienced it. "Matt, why are you doing this?"

"You still have Tom's scent all over you," the ginger explained as he rubbed his face on Tord's neck and had his arms rub the shorter man's sides.

Blinking at the odd explanation, a weird thought suddenly came up which had Tord stiffening in Matt's embrace. "Matt, I want you to be honest with me. Are you trying to mark your scent on me and erase Tom's scent?"

"Yeah? So?"

"(1) Hva faen!?" Tord screamed as he pushed himself from the ginger's hold.

Glaring at Matt's eyes, both the robotic and the blue one, he further distanced himself from the man. "Why? Why are you trying to take one of the last few pieces that Tom has left with me?"

"He's gone, Tord. Letting yourself remain attached to him is breaking you."

"And what!? Now that Tom's gone you expect me to pretend on being happy and attach myself either to you or Edd!? Fat chance.

You betrayed me when I did nothing but showed you kindness. Edd doesn't even believe me or want anything to do to me. What makes you think that I'm going to act like everything's all fine and dandy like this whole war never started? When the sole person who believed in me died?"

"Tord..."

"No, Matt.

If this is what you think that's best then it leaves me choice."

* * *

Tord knew that what he was doing was quite rather impulsive.

After all, it was never in his actual intentions to kill either Matt or Edd now that they were here as his captives.

But with how Matt was acting and Edd being a bastard about things...He ended up giving an order of them to be executed.

He knows that up at a point he'll supposedly regret what he did.

But as the shots were fired and the duo's bodies hit the floor; the only feeling that Tord had was numbness. Just the pure numbness that seemingly filled his soul.

* * *

They were now all gone.

Edd, Matt and Tom.

The three of them were now gone and he alone remained alive.

They were his friends and yet he was the cause of their deaths.

Tom died to protect him.

Matt and Edd due to his orders.

It was a really amusing thing to know that he was the one to have caused the deaths of his friends.

Just like what the people in the laboratory would say, "Monsters don't deserve friends. They don't deserve to have a family. Nor do they deserve to be happy.

The only use that monsters have is to be experimented on or to kill and fight."

He was a monster.

Just like what they said.

He was the one to end them.

He was the one to end the gang.

* * *

**A/N:** As much as the title has "The End" on it, it isn't the end. The end here refers here on how he had been the cause of his friends death. 

* * *

**Translation:**

(1) **Hva faen!?** [Norwegian] - What the fuck!?


	19. Tom's Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was odd.
> 
> The last thing that Tord remembered was that he was in his and Tom's room. He was sorting through the Brit's possessions when he found a gift-wrapped box that was addressed to him in Tom's simplistic handwriting.

It was odd.

The last thing that Tord remembered was that he was in his and Tom's room. He was sorting through the Brit's possessions when he found a gift-wrapped box that was addressed to him in Tom's simplistic handwriting.

The box was apparently going to be his gift from Tom during that Christmas day last year. But since the brunet had died it had never been given to him.

That was why, Tord was quite rather curious on what Tom was planning to give him. So, after removing the gift wrapping and opening the box, the silvernette was surprised to find an ornately decorated silver hour glass that had shining gold sand within it.

Tord wondered on why would Tom want to give him this beautiful yet antique looking hourglass that had a crack since the brunet certainly knew that he didn't have the habit to keep knick-knacks around his room or his office. To give something like this...

The silvernette then held up the lovely hourglass that perfectly fitted in his hand and pondered on the meaning for such a gift.

An hourglass usually meant about time.

Was it supposed to signify the time of their relationship? Or the time they knew each other?

That said, no matter how hard he would try to think, he knew that he still wouldn't be able to get the right answers since the only person who knew about the reason behind it was now dead.

Tom was dead.

He couldn't change that.

That is unless if he could go back in time and be able to alter events without placing any detriment to himself.

If he could only go back in time, maybe he would have changed things.

Maybe he could have made things better and make Tom's life different as it was. Maybe he could have made Edd see his ways and persuaded Matt to stay by his side then things would be different.

"If I could only go back in time and change the starting points of my friends then this terrible loss wouldn't have happened," Tord mused aloud as he walked right at his quarters' balcony and stared at the bright full moon while holding up the ornate hourglass.

Then as if by accident, the hour glass suddenly broke on its own, spraying Tord with its golden dust and engulfing him in a flash light.

And here he was now.

He was somewhere in London. About twenty-seven years before he, Tom and the rest of his friends were even born. Wearing nothing else but his boots, pants and rolled up dress shirt.

Eyeing the object in his hand, there was nothing else but broken shards of glass that had shallowly cut into his flesh. Tord then sighed as he wondered if the annoying Brit even knew about the effects of his gift.

This was far too much to be coincidental.

Had Tom known what was to happen? 

About his own death?

Shaking his head, Tord decided that he needed to get himself a place to sleep for the night first then everything else could follow. What's important right now is for him to survive and make sure things would go well for him in this time.

* * *

It was pretty interesting.

Living in a time where he didn't belong.

Now that he didn't have an Empire to worry over and the need to protect those that he cared for, Tord was finding it easier for himself to be a little more reckless.

For the first three years, he traveled to different parts of the world and discovered how magic was real. A whole lot more real compared to the simple glimpses that he could get from his adventures with Tom and the rest of the gang back then. To be exact, he even found out that his lineage as an Obelia one of the causes on how he was able to utilize the purple lightning, create ice when he was pissed off and do a couple more of anomalies in his life. His father's side of the family were actually descendants of real witches, wizards and mages. 

Magic was real and he had it within him all along.

It was the reason why he wouldn't die that easily.

It was the reason why he could heal that quickly.

It may also be possible for it to be the cause of how he understood things differently.

But, looking back at all the other people he met who had magic, he could still notice how different they were compared to him. Compared to him, these other magic holders were still pretty normal. They were normal enough just like the rest of them.

So, with those three years, along with his traveling he did his best to study as much as magic as he could. Going to places which he had learned to be with high Mana (magic) concentrations, collecting old ancient and sacred tomes, learning from those who were willing to teach and even stealing the knowledge and memories of those who truly knew about the power.

In a certain sense, it was a productive 3 years that Tord had nearly forgotten about what Tom told him a long time ago.

Tom once had told him about the story of his father and how a sentient pineapple was able to live the way he was and marry Tom's mom. He remembered how in the first year that the Brit got back his memories, Tom told him about his family's story and how he even came to be.

He could now naturally change things.

He could now use the things that he had learned along with the knowledge that he had to make things better.

He was going to make the lives of his friends better.

He could now change their starting points and make their relationships better.

He could make everything in the long run better.

And now, Tord was starting to appreciate Tom's gift more and more.


	20. Change [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom told him before how his mom as a sentient bowling ball had lived all alone the younger years of her life before she met Tom's dad. He told him how she found herself alive in a bowling alley named "Crashing Balls" and stayed there a couple of years as a hired help of sorts before leaving the disgusting place.
> 
> So, here he was now, getting Tom's mom before she even 'woke up'.

Having an eidetic memory since he was in the labs, Tord could remember everything that has happened to him in such crystal-clear quality as long as he wasn't that inebriated or drugged up. He could remember every cut and incision that was given to him. Every nasty word that was ever said.

He could also remember about his own father who was willing to give everything to him but he never trusted the man. He could also remember everything about his friends.

Edd's stories about his family.

Matt's iterations of his family's genealogy.

And Tom's drunken sharing of his life.

He could remember all of it.

Which was what made his plans easier.

* * *

Tom told him before how his mom as a sentient bowling ball had lived all alone the younger years of her life before she met Tom's dad. He told him how she found herself alive in a bowling alley named "Crashing Balls" and stayed there a couple of years as a hired help of sorts before leaving the disgusting place.

So, here he was now, getting Tom's mom before she even 'woke up'.

After all, he already had a plan on where she was to be. That way, she wouldn't be lonely and have an improved standing in life. That, and make things easier for him.

He was planning to put her in the care of Edd's grandparents. That way she could have a family and Tom and Edd would be related. Which hopefully in the future could help him in convincing Edd about his plans.

Edd did mention to him before how his dad was five years older than the rest of their parents and how the older Gold always wanted to have a younger sibling. Having Tom's mom become a Gold legally was something he could easily do now with his newly acquired abilities.

He could just put a long-lasting spell on Edd's grandparents that makes them think that they want another child but because of a certain accident they couldn't have anymore children. Then, that's where Tom's mom comes in. With the spell influencing their thoughts, Edd's grandmother would treat the bowling ball as her own and Edd's dad could have a younger sister.

* * *

Steffan Gold was a bright and happy boy that had black hair and brown eyes. His parents loved him so much that he grew up to be a moderately spoiled child.

For a five-year-old, Steffan envied how the rest of his playmates had younger siblings that they would take care of and brag about. So, like any other spoiled child, he asked his parents for a younger sibling. However, no matter how much he begged his parents for a younger sibling, they always said 'No' since they couldn't have another child. Or more like they couldn't afford to feed another child.

After all, they always told him that they only had enough to feed and cater the needs and vices of three people. But things changed one day as a man wearing a black trench coat with a hood and red leather gloves came and spoke to his parents.

The three of them spoke quietly in their dining room for a few minutes before he was temporarily sent out. After which, when he came back, it looked like they came upon an agreement as the man wearing the hooded trench coat was soon approaching him and his parents encouraged him to listen.

"Hello," Steffan shyly greeted to the hooded stranger and wondered what was inside the basket that he carried.

"Hello to you too," the man answered back with a weird accent as he knelt down to his eye level.

Steffan gasped at what he saw. The man was very pretty with his gem like green eyes that seemed to glow and his hair that looked like silver. To the child, what the man's face looked like was like of those in fairytales. It belonged to a fairy or that of an angel.

"I see that my face is bothering you," the man commented before his face was soon shrouded in darkness and the only thing that remained to be seen are his wonderful eyes.

"I—No—I'm sorry!" Steffan stuttered in embarrassment and asked, "I—Umm...What does mister have to say to me?"

"Ah, yes. About that," the man then opened the cover of the picnic basket he held and inside of it was a black bowling ball that was cushioned by a white pillow. The man explained, "You see here, this bowling ball would be alive in a few days and she would need to have a family take care of her. So, I thought it would be best to giver her to you and make her your sister."

Steffan's brown eyes widened at the news that he heard. After all, he would soon be getting a sister as much it was a bowling ball. That said, the raven suddenly remembered how his parents would always say that they couldn't afford to have another child. "But we don't have that much money," Steffan weakly told as he was hesitating to reach out for his new sibling.

"It's okay, as much as your parents won't remember much of this meeting of ours today, I already made sure to leave some funds for your family to live comfortably even with the new addition. To be exact, I know that these funds might even be more than enough." The man assured as he ruffled the raven's hair and slowly took out the bowling ball to show the boy what he would be taking care of.

"She's pretty. The black color shines nicely," the brown eyed boy commented as he reached out and caressed the bowling ball gently.

"Indeed, she is," the gem like green-eyed man intoned before putting the bowling ball back to the basket and continuing, "I'm talking to you right now to ask you to take care of her. After all, she's a very special person who has an important role to play in the future."

"Role? Future?"

"You don't have to worry about those things, child. The only thing you should worry about is making sure she lives well and she marries a pineapple."

"Pineapple?"

"Yes. A pineapple," the hooded man affirmed as he stood up and began walking away.

"Okay, I promise!" Steffan shouted in determined glee as he watched the man disappear in the night's darkness and thought how lucky his day must be to get what he wished to finally happen.

Steffan Gold finally had a sister.


	21. Change [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord found it interesting to know how much Edd took after his father. The boy he had just spoken to earlier was near copy of Edd save for the cola addict's hair color. Edd was a brunet and his dad was a raven along with his grandparents. Tord wondered if the brown hair came from the mother's side of Edd's genes.

Tord found it interesting to know how much Edd took after his father. The boy he had just spoken to earlier was near copy of Edd save for the cola addict's hair color. Edd was a brunet and his dad was a raven along with his grandparents. Tord wondered if the brown hair came from the mother's side of Edd's genes.

That said, with him now done with the financial situation of Edd's grandparents and Tom's mom, Tord found it important to check up on Matt's father.

Last that he remembered about the older Harvest was that he had some kind of serious heart condition and problems with his memory because one of the attending nurses that was assigned to him as a baby messed up with the administering of medications and supplements. So, in short, someone fucked up on their job and a child ended up suffering for it. A simple job incompetence which if it were in Tord's time as Emperor would have resulted into an immediate execution.

Thinking about it, Tord recalled how the older Harvest was called Marcus and he was about to be born about next month in a hospital in Bristol. So, with that in mind, Tord forced himself to endure the burden of looking for Matt's grandparents and hope things would turn out right and according to his plans.

* * *

It was tiring.

Making plans and moving about to search for people.

Tord was lucky enough to find Matt's grandparents and know they were quite the amicable couple. The silvernette didn't even have to use his magic on them to interfere since a simple explanation got them agreeing immediately.

That said, Tord was curious on how Matt's grandparents weren't able to make their architectural firm prosper much. Like, yes, in his original life Matt and his family were well off. They were about the upper tier of the middle class. But that's still quite rather far from being rich.

So, thinking things through, Tord didn't found anything wrong with funding the couple's business and giving advice to them. To be exact, the current Harvest couple were one of the few people he could consider as 'acquaintances' he wouldn't mind talking to since they were quite rather open minded for their time period. Far too open minded if anything.

With him now done for Matt and Edd's grandparents and their fathers, Tord thought that he didn't need to get himself involved that much on them. He just needed to check on them from time to time and maybe guide them a bit if it were necessary.

His current problem right now...Tom's dad.

The handsome Brit talked a lot about his dad whenever he was drunk and if you asked him. Which was why, out of everyone else parents of their group, he knew more about the said sentient pineapple.

Tom did mention how his dad as a pineapple lived most of his life on the streets until he got adopted by a female accountant. From there, the said pineapple was able to go to school and finish his degree in Accountancy. That's why, Tom's dad was able to get himself a job and somehow provide for his family.

That being said, Tord still couldn't understand how Tom never mentioned about his parents having names at all. He just referred to them as mom and dad with sometimes mentioned as Mr. and Mrs. Rodgewell. That, and he'd describe them.

Tom would describe and share stories about them more than enough that he knows where they would 'wake up.'

Seriously, was this fate?

Was this whole shit show and Tom's death supposed to happen?

With Tord not knowing the names of Tom's parents he could pretty much change from which family they belonged to. That is, as long as they end up together and make Tom, things could go in his way.

Heck, a weird idea was starting to be made in his mind.

What if he was the one to raise Tom's dad?

That way, he could groom the pineapple in having the same beliefs as him and make sure that Tom has a higher chance of surviving whatever shit show that happens his way. That way, he could indirectly make Tom stronger and have the Brit understand him more.

It was an odd idea but Tord really thinks that he could make it work.


	22. Pineapple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord adopts a pineapple in hopes of making things for Tom better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah....
> 
> To those who haven't read Asher's Story, Tom's dad would be named as Asher and he would be raised by Tord. 
> 
> It was mentioned there that my headcanon for the new timeline versions of Tom's parents can change into humanoid forms with the bowling ball and the pineapple parts being their heads. 
> 
> There'd be a concept art of how I think Asher would look like in his humanoid form as teen. That, and in my headcanon, I imagine Asher's face to be similar to Grillby's of Undertale. I mean, even without the obvious facial features, they still wear glasses and that they could magically form their mouths to eat.

Buying a pineapple is a whole lot easier than legally adopting a human child from an orphanage. There was little paperwork to be involved and there was no need for interviews and background checks for the adoption process.

The only thing he had to do was buy the said pineapple, give it a name, and file the documents stating that the said pineapple was now legally his 'child.'

And, Ta-da!

Tord Athanasia Obelia was now a proud parent of a sentient pineapple.

That said, knowing that he couldn't have his existence be fully exposed, he chose to use an alias in the current timeline where he was. Formally, he was now known as Tord Bloodfield. His surname was chosen as it was as a reminder for why he was here.

To ensure that Tom's blood and life wouldn't be part of the field of blood that he stands upon as a ruler. To ensure that Tom wouldn't even need to spill his own blood and sacrifice himself.

He wanted to Tom to become stronger and have a better chance in life.

That, as much as it could lead to a different result and the Brit falling in love with someone else in the future, Tord thought that it was only right. After all, he couldn't love the eyeless brunet back.

All of Tom's love and devotion.

He couldn't return it since he was fucked up and he didn't love the man.

Clenching his fists and shaking his head, Tord then turned at his new charge and smiled.

* * *

**A/N:** Concept art of Asher as a Teen when he's using his humanoid form.

It had been four years now since he had adopted Tom's dad and with him introducing the pineapple to transformation magic, the sentient tropical plant was now sporting a humanoid form.

To be exact, he was drilling it to the pineapple's mind that being in his natural form as a simple pineapple would do him no good. That it wouldn't give him any advantage in a fight and make him vulnerable to any kind of attack.

Speaking of said humanoid pineapple, Tord was brought out of his musing when the 'child' in his arms called for his attention, "Daddy, why are you wearing an eye patch when both of your eyes are fine?"

Blinking his lone uncovered eye, the horned man looked at his charge and sighed as he simply answered, "I wear it for a reason, Asher."

"But why?"

"Why don't we get some ice cream," Tord suggested as a diversion and rocked gently the four-year-old in his arms.

"Yay!" The pineapple yelled in glee and seemingly forgot the issue as he hugged the horned man.

Tord then sighed in relief and brought the 'child' to the kitchen for the promised ice cream. 

* * *

_"Father must be thinking about **HIM** again," _Asher thought as he watched his father grab the large tub of ice cream.

For an individual his age, Asher knew that he was a lot smarter than most of his peers. He was smarter since he wasn't even like the rest of them. That unlike them, he wasn't even human.

He was a mere pineapple that became sentient and was luckily adopted.

He was adopted by a very beautiful man.

Having soft silver hair that were naturally styled to have horns, skin fairer than any maiden and wonderful green gem like eyes; the man who took him in was like the other worldly beauties that were mentioned in his guardian's books. 

To be exact, his guardian was even prettier than all those girls that had coquettish and lewd expressions even if he did nothing else but have a blank face. That said, the man was even prettier when he smiled.

Nonetheless, his father hardly gave any real smiles unless he spoke about his former friends. Particularly, about **Him**. His father always spoke so nicely about a man named 'Thomas' that Asher was starting to hate that person.

Why?

Why did that dead person have to take up more of his father's happiness?

Shaking his fruit shaped head, Asher tousled his green 'hair' and pushed back the jealousy that he was feeling. He may be a mere four-year-old but he wasn't going to let the thought of some dead guy sour his mood when he was right here right now with his father.

So, pasting on a smile, the tropical fruit leaned forward and did his best to act more like peers his age and pretend like his mind wasn't as matured as it is. He didn't need to have his father worry.

* * *

**A/N:** The picture below is how imagine Tom's parents would be when

they're older in their humanoid forms.

**A/N:** I basically imagined it in my head how Tom inherited the color of his hair from his mother....LOL

This means that Tom's mom was a brunette as a humanoid. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it?
> 
> Is the concept art of teen Asher okay?
> 
> And yeah...
> 
> The meaning of the name Asher is "fortunate, blessed, and happy one". It's also connected to the name Asier which in Basque means "the beginning." 
> 
> So yeah, in my story, Tord chose the name Asher for Tom's dad because he hopes that the pineapple would have a happy, fortunate and blessed life. That, and Asher would be "the beginning" because without him Tom wouldn't be created.


	23. Treatment

It was just another normal day in the Bloodfield household and Tord was teaching his 'son' how to 'Defend and Dominate' using the beginners edition when Tord realized how fast the boy was catching up.

True, the silvernette knew how the pineapple was quite rather matured for his age. But not like this. It was as if Asher was seriously holding himself back for a quite long time now that Tord ended up frowning at such a discovery.

To have something go unnoticed like this.

Was it because he was busy in making a functional time travel device and researching a spell that would enable him to take over his younger self's soul and body? Was he that busy that he overlooked Asher's capabilities?

Stopping the green 'haired' boy, he decided that he needed to question Asher on why he was hiding his abilities when the pineapple could do a whole lot of more.

* * *

_"Something is wrong._

_Something is definitely wrong,"_ Asher thought as he watched at how his father was frowning and dispelled the puppet that the pineapple was fighting with. What's more, the sole gem like green eye that was staring at him was seemingly trying to bore in his soul.

"Daddy, did I make a mistake?"

"Why are trying to be so childish, Asher?" The silvernette asked in monotone as if to signify that he knew all along what the pineapple had been doing.

Freezing at the question, the green haired child blinked his 'eyes' and stared at his father. "I—I don't know what Daddy means," Asher stuttered.

The sound of a wine glass breaking was then heard and the pineapple noticed how his father's human hand was bleeding. The elder's green gem like orbs were also glowing in intensity that Asher was worried if he had angered the man.

A sudden loud sigh was then heard as those glowing eyes closed and his father carefully stated, "Asher, I know that with my current appearance right now that I might be a little threatening. But, I'm not mad at you, dear.

I'm just a little disappointed that you felt it right to hide your abilities from me. After all, I am your father. To hide something like this from me...It only means that you don't trust me and you find how I'm raising you as dreadful."

The tone of it all may have been careful but Asher could definitely sense how his father was more than disappointed. If anything, he could feel sadness and betrayal in them. He could feel how his father was hurt because of him.

With the very thought of hurting the one man that he cared for and loved, Asher started to tear up and apologize. "I'm sorry, father. I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry..."

Guilty sobs began wracking the pineapple's humanoid frame and, at that, Asher's father finally came to wrap him in an embrace. The older man rocking him gently in his embrace and comforting him that it was okay.

"Father, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I promise that I won't hold back anymore," Asher vowed as held unto the silvernette's embrace. "I'm sorry. So please. Don't give me away or leave me," he begged.

With that Asher was held closer and he wasn't able to see smirk that now appeared on his father's face.

* * *

Tord knew that what he was doing was wrong.

To manipulate a child that he was supposed to raise and protect.

But it wasn't like he was doing it without reason. After all, he had already decided to raise Asher and train and educate the pineapple as much as he could. That way, he could ensure that Tom's dad would live long enough and be able to positively influence Tom the way that he wanted.

That way he could pay Tom back for all the love and devotion that he gave.

Tom would be happier in this turn of his life if the Brit grew up having a father. Tom wouldn't be an alcoholic and maybe he'd find himself a better person to be with. He would finally be able to love someone who would love him back.

That way he could make Tom happier even without being so direct about it.

So, here he was now.

Training and teaching Asher to become better as the pineapple was now willingly undergoing everything that he was being put through.

True, Tord admits that what he was teaching his charge would be something a sane person would never put a child with. But it wasn't like he didn't know anything about it.

After all, the things that he's making Asher experience are what he also experienced during his own childhood. The only difference is, the treatment he gives to Asher is whole lot tamer in comparison and he doesn't abuse him. Plus, he doesn't give experiments on the tropical fruit by cutting him open, pumping him full of drugs and messing with his insides. Not like what he had experienced. He's only training and teaching him.

Besides, the pineapple is already lucky as is since although his treatment for the 'child' may be hard, he makes sure that Asher knows that he is cared for. He lets the 'boy' experience what it is to be tucked into bed, read a story book and a few other sappy family things that Tord himself hardly experienced in his childhood.

He makes sure that even with all the harsh treatment that Asher wouldn't still end up becoming like him. That the pineapple would still somehow be capable of relating to other 'normal' people.

He tries to make sure of it since the pineapple would be the one to father his most loyal soldier and departed lover, Thomas. 


	24. Mourning and Sundays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord still mourns for his death and Asher makes a judgement.

**A/N:** "Classic stupid Tom" - Said out loud

 _"Classic stupid Tom"_ \- Thoughts of a character

* * *

* * *

Years again pass by and somehow, as much as he had already mourned for Thomas' death, Tord still ends up crying because of the man.

How many times has it been already?

Dreams would sometimes plague him and the guilt that he would feel for being the cause of the brunet's death would swallow him in ways that the only way he could somehow vent out was crying. He'd cry for how he was a terrible friend. He'd cry for being a dreadful boss. Most of all, he'd cry for being such an awful lover.

Thomas deserved more.

He deserved so much more.

And yet, the man never really had anything else but him.

It was pathetic, seriously so, that uncontrollable tears were flowing out of his face.

In his hands was the blood of the person who willingly gave anything and everything for him.

Thomas...

Tom....

Tord tried to bite back more of his sobs and burrowed himself deeper in his bed.

"Why?

Why did you have to sacrifice yourself for me, Thomas?

You could have more.

So much more that you didn't deserve to have me and die just like that."

With that, more and more tears fell. Tord's sobs became louder and it looked like to the silvernette that he might be crying himself again to sleep for another night.

* * *

"It isn't working.

Why isn't it working?" Tord angrily growled as he threw another failed time travel device onto the cold marble floor.

That so far, as much as he was now able to create a well functional spell and spell diagram that could safely fuse two souls and work together in one body, the time travel device is what's hindering him from going to the time that he wanted.

For some odd fucking reason, it wouldn't work.

No matter how many times he checked the calculations and made sure they were correct or used stronger materials for the device's components; it would always back fire. Heck, he had already made before two functioning time travel devices. But now? Nothing was working.

Even if he followed everything from his memory and made sure things were right it would blow up for no reason.

It was frustrating. Terribly so.

He had now been in this time period for about fifteen years.

He was now able to study quite a number of things about magic and find different kinds of artifacts. Hell, he was even able to get the inheritance of a great mage, from another realm who enjoyed going to different planes to study mana and magic, from one of his travels. But he still wasn't capable of making a god damned stupid time travel device from working.

Taking a deep breath, Tord forced himself to calm down and answer the knocks that was going on his laboratory door. So, he got up and opened it to find a twelve-year-old Asher dressed up in a white long-sleeved dress shirt and black shorts with suspenders along with white ankle length socks and black leather shoes.

Blinking his lone uncovered green eye, he asked, "Asher, my child. Why are you currently dressed up like that?"

"Father, it's Sunday today and we'd be going to church remember?"

"Sunday?" Tord questioned as he didn't think that he'd end up staying in lab for about four days straight just with he's doing.

"Yes, father," the pineapple helpfully supplied before he tugged the older man out of the lab and pulled Tord towards the elder's room.

"Oh," was all the horned silvernette could say as he was pushed into his bathroom and a patient child was waiting at the foot of his bed.

"Yes, Oh, father.

You promised that we'd always go to church together on Sundays," Asher reminded and pointedly looked at him which had Tord sighing and going to his walk-in closet.

"Fine. Just wait for me here to finish. Then we'll go to church." Tord replied as he wondered why on the hell did his severely drunk ass self thought that it would be alright to make his current charge a Roman Catholic of all things.

Sure, he more often than not found churches to be a great sight to see. Having those differently colored windows, ornate designs and the historic lore. Okay.... Maybe it was because of the whole religious lore of things, the Latin language and the rituals and stuff but going to church every Sunday was a total pain.

In his original time, he and his own father were basically Atheists.

But after visiting hell with the guys and all the other supernatural crap they've been through he was somewhat influenced. Not in a sense that he became religious, but Tord did look up on what was about Roman Catholicism and, so far, he found the religion not so bad as long as you know which parts to avoid and ignore.

So, here he was now.

In official papers, he was a Roman Catholic. Unofficially, Tord was still the kind of person who believed what he wanted to believe on. So, in a certain sense, not all was exactly lost.

The only thing he had a problem now was that Asher appeared to be quite the moderate follower.

The pineapple still followed his teachings and beliefs. But now, he had more of a religious touch to it at times.

Whenever they'd be decorating for Christmas, the 'boy' would always insist for a wreathe with the four candles for Advent. Asher would also want to have the nativity displayed when the said holiday was close to coming around.

Then there's the Lenten season, the Passover, Easter and a few other religious holidays or occasions. The humanoid tropical fruit would follow the rituals for them to a certain the degree that Tord sometimes found it entertaining that a pineapple would be so keen with such.

That said, going out every Sunday was still a pain. Nonetheless, if it was going to make Tom's dad happy then Tord wouldn't mind suffering a bit.

Besides, Asher being a Roman Catholic wouldn't be so bad. That way, Tom wouldn't hate Christmas that much anymore.

"Father, you done yet?"

Tord sighed and finally went out of his walk-in closet carrying his chosen attire. "I haven't even taken a bath yet, Asher. So, patiently wait for me since it's not like there wouldn't be any more masses later."

Asher agreed to the request but it looked like it came with a cost since after attending the Sunday mass the boy was now expectantly looking at him. Asher was expectantly staring at him as they ate their lunch at a restaurant that they frequented and questioned, "What was Thomas like, Father?"

Tord choked at the sudden question and had to punch his chest a couple of times to dislodge the steak that he was eating. Of all the things that his charge had to ask, the silver haired man never expected Asher to be so curious about Tom that he'd initiate trying to know more about him.

Sure, he might have mentioned Tom to the pineapple a couple of times as 'Thomas' and shared a few of the good experiences that he had with the Brit. But this sudden interest was something he never expected to happen.

"Father?" The humanoid pineapple queried that had Tord spiting out the steak piece that choked him and blinking his lone uncovered eye.

"I'm fine, Asher."

"You ended up choking, Father. That isn't fine," the tropical fruit protested and continued, "That said, was my question really that surprising?"

"Yes, it was, Asher. I mean, it wasn't like you've ever shown an interest in the topic of Thomas before. That's why, it kind of surprised me when you asked me about him," Tord explained as he gave a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Oh...Is that so? Well, let's just say that I just found myself having an interest to know my other supposed parent," Asher declared as he popped in the food on his fork and watched the silvernette like a hawk.

Tord ended up squawking at what his 'son' had just stated, "Other supposed parent!?"

"Yes, Father. Though from the way things are, if he were here right now and alive, he might probably be the one I call as 'Father' and you as 'Mother.' After all, that title does suit you much more," the twelve-year-old remarked with such a matter-of-fact tone that had Tord feeling like he must still be asleep and having a weird dream.

The Norwegian then pinched his own cheek and was startled to find that he was very much awake at that moment. Yup, he was definitely awake. But the way that Asher was acting felt like he had the rug under him pulled out.

It was very disorienting.

So, forcing himself to calm down, Tord pasted on a smile and decided that he might as well quell the child's curiosity before the other opted to use more surprises. "Well, that little remark of yours may hit on the mark," Tord acquiesced as he took in another piece of meat to finish off his food and drink a bit of his wine.

"Before I got you, Thomas was indeed a person that I've been in a relationship with. To be exact, one could have even said that he was my fiancé," the Norski admitted as he took another gulp of his liquor and continued, "Thinking about it, if he were here now, he must have been ecstatic to meet you." _"Tom would naturally be ecstatic to meet you, Asher. After all, you were his father."_

"That, and Thomas would have liked to spend a lot of time with you. I mean, you guys are so alike in a number of ways." _"You guys could always surprise me one way or another. The both of you also could push my buttons in either the right or wrong ways without even knowing about it."_

"In what way are we alike?" The green haired humanoid asked as he leant forward in interest.

"Well, physically speaking, his hair is similar to yours in the manner of it being spiky and looking like the leaves of a pineapple. Then, there's your attitude. The both of you have the similar stubbornness and persistence. He's also quite rather dedicated like you and he's pretty loyal too. 

Then, you also have a similar interest in guns. Just like him you prefer using sniper types and when you shoot, you'd have the similar stance and confidence when taking down a target." Tord shared as he looked at his charge and noticed how the pineapple was listening so seriously.

A soft smile then got itself on his face as a sudden thought made him joke, "Talking about similarities; it made me somehow wonder if he's ever related to you with how a number of things about the two of you are very much alike." _"You might not know about it yet, Asher, but Thomas is so similar to you because he would be you son."_

Asher then snorted at such words and shook his head at the joke, "I can't see it ever possible for him to be in anyway related to me, Father. After all, I am a pineapple, as sentient I may be."

"Suit yourself, my child. That said, do you have any other questions about Thomas?"

"What were his interests or hobbies?"

"Well.... Thomas liked music a lot. He would sometimes compose songs with his guitar depending on his mood and sing them. He'd sing them to anyone who would listen even if, a number of times, that anyone usually just pertained as his teddy bear he named 'Tommee Bear.'

Then, he also liked to drink a lot. Particularly, Smirnoff. The original flavor."

"You're kidding me. Right, Father? I mean, how can you even be in a relationship with someone like that who seems to be too—"

"Simple?" Tord cut the child off as he couldn't get why is Asher seem to be so displeased with Thomas' interests. It wasn't like Tom's interests were that bad or of the deviant kind.

"Pathetic and an alcoholic," the pineapple finished in cold disdain and continued, "What kind of adult still has a teddy bear with him and sings to it?"

The horned silvernette then frowned at the tone that the tropical fruit was using. The way that Asher was now acting was something he didn't like at all.

That is, the green haired humanoid was immediately being so judgmental.

"My child, I really think that you shouldn't be that quick in making judgements about people. Besides, people have reasons for what they're doing," Tord chided as he finished his glass of wine and called for their bill.

"But, Father—"

"No, buts, young man.

I understand that you think so highly of me. However, to judge people that quickly and deem them unworthy for no good reason is something I would not tolerate, Asher." Tord scolded as he paid the waiter and stood up to leave.

"Of course, Father," Asher dejectedly replied and finally followed him out of the establishment. 


	25. England

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord and Asher have an argument that leads to Tord breaking down.

Where did he go wrong?

With more years passing by Tord was starting to notice how Asher despised Tom. The pineapple may think he's subtle with his displeasure for Tom but he's actions betray him.

Any mentioning of 'Thomas' would end up with his charge clenching his fists or turning away. If not, anything about the eyeless Brit would be utterly ignored by the said pineapple. What's more, Asher does his best to try to be nothing like Tom.

It was just frustrating to see things become like this.

Asher was now close to being sixteen and his charge was being difficult. Quite rather difficult.

Nonetheless, Asher still remained to be quite obedient and loyal towards him so Tord was willing enough to overlook some of the tropical fruit's shortcomings.

He was willing to overlook it since he was still going to be Tom's father and that he was Tord's successor for the current time period. The silvernette did his best to groom Asher and here they were now.

The pineapple now had his second PhD degree relating to Chemical Engineering from MIT and the tropical fruit seemed to be so engaged in his studies that Tord was starting to worry. Tord was worried that Asher would instead prefer to live here in America as compared to what he was supposed to in England. Which in turn was making the horned male try and think of ways to convince Asher to return with him back 'home.'

After all, he can't have Tom suddenly becoming an American just because of this reason. Besides, if Tom was an American, Tord wasn't sure if he would still be able to meet the other once he had left Asher.

That, for all the things he had done, Tord still wanted to meet the eyeless Brit and be friends with him again. To not meet him again because of his failure to convince the pineapple was making Tord's chest hurt just by thinking about it.

He still wanted to meet Tom.

"Father, why do we have to go back to England? It's not like we have anything important there," Asher argued as he had his arms crossed.

"What do you mean by nothing important, Asher!? That's where your roots lie! Moreover, why can't you understand that that's where I want to be in.

You're the one who insists that I always be there for you whenever you'd want to go to some country either for studying or pleasure. And now, you're asking me to stay here permanently in America because of what!? You're bored of the scenery there?" Tord cried out as the importance of the situation was making him willing enough to shed some tears just to make the teen listen. The clawing of his own chest was even supplementing the Norwegian's tirade that Tord himself was worried that he might soon cry for real if this argument would be prolonged any further.

After all, this argument of theirs had been going for a week now and Tord was becoming desperate to make sure that Asher returns to England for good. He was desperate to the thought of seeing Tom again and knowing that the Brit would smile whatever shenanigan he thought was funny.

"Father—"

"No! I don't care about what you think. If you're worried about a guardian, I'll have one, no, a few of our loyal servants attend to you.

Meanwhile, I'll head back to England alone and live in the mansion you now, oh so, hate," the silvernette wept as the tears that he was now shedding was becoming all too real and the clawing in his chest which he was feeling was a tad bit too much.

So, Tord now turned away and began wiping his tears as he walked out of the living room of the house they were currently staying.

"Father, please..."

"Enough, I don't want to speak to you," he retorted as much as his voice was breaking; he finally left Asher on his own.

* * *

It was another day in a villa in America and most of its occupants were still asleep with the current time of day.

Stars still shined so brightly even if the first light of the day was just about an hour away.

Tord as of the moment had already finished quite a number of cigars and hated how he was currently feeling was making him chain smoke while doing a Russian Roulette with the different cigar flavors which he had.

He already had green tea, licorice, vanilla, dark chocolate, blueberry, apple, grape, cherry, honey toffee and now he was smoking a mint flavored cigar. All because of the stupid argument which he had with Asher the previous afternoon. And now, it was close to daylight and Tord was hating the fact that Asher was being stubborn to the point that it even really made him cry.

Was he really about to let things go as is?

After everything that he has done to ensure the best for Tom, the eyeless bastard might never even be born.

Tom might never be born.

Taking a deep breath, Tord tried to calm himself down as he placed down his cigar and stood up from his seat to distance himself from the smoke. Yet, his breathing was hardly seeing any improvement while tears were springing up in his eyes at the thought of never being able to see Tom again.

His most disciplined, loyal and devoted soldier.

His caring and adoring lover.

His Tom.

The possibility of never seeing the man again was making him an emotional wreck that once again he ended up crying pathetically as he yearned to be held again by the damned Brit.

During the years that they were together, as much as they were no more but fuck buddies at the time, Tom had become an emotional support and security blanket to him. The Brit, with everything that he had, would try to make him laugh whenever they were in private and hold him whenever his thoughts were getting too morbid and dark.

The man wasn't the type to judge him and instead did his best to understand him.

He missed him.

He missed Tom so much that his chest hurts and that guilt that came along with it was making things more difficult for him to stop his sobs from escaping him.

He missed him. He missed him. He missed him. He missed him. 

He missed him so much.

"Thomas," Tord unconsciously cried out as he tried to hold himself together by embracing himself and making himself smaller when warm arms clad in white pulled him in an embrace. The strong scent of pineapple inadvertently telling the Norski on who it was.

"Thomas," he called again as the Brit also had the similar scent that only differed slightly because of the added scent of vodka and metal that Tom had.

"Father, I'm sorry," Asher apologized as he held Tord in his embrace and slotted his head just right at the elder's shoulder.

"Let me go. I want to see Thomas. I have to see Thomas," the Norski wailed as he struggled against the other's hold, "I won't be able to see him as long as I remain here."

"Father, calm down."

"Calm down!? You won't let me see him, Asher! How could I possibly calm down," Tord snapped as he twisted himself free with tears running down his face.

"He's dead, Father. So, no matter what you do you wouldn't be able to see him anyway," the humanoid fruit reasoned as he tried to get himself closer to crying man.

But to Asher's dismay, he only made things worse as Tord's sobs grew louder and the elder ended up falling into a heap. The silvernette had his knees tucked close to him as he curled into a ball and cried.

He cried how he didn't want to be here. He cried that he wanted to go back to England. He cried on how he wanted to see Thomas again.

His father cried and cried that Asher somehow felt guilty for forcing his parent to become like this. For all the things that his father had done, Asher knew that the green gem like eyed man didn't deserve to be like this. Scared, desperate and broken.

To watch his father's beautiful face be marred by crystal like tears, a part of him revelled on the beauty it held and another wanted it to be gone and replaced either by a smile or the elder's usual impassiveness. Asher was conflicted.

He wanted to stay in America for the sunshine it held and the way it didn't remind him of the stories that his father sometimes shared about **him**. But if staying here was making his father become like this...

Asher would willingly go back.

He would go back to England to make his father happier.

So, making up his mind, he finally conceded in defeat.

"I'm sorry, Father. I'm sorry. Please stop crying since I'll now return to England with you if that's what you want. I'll return and say there as long as you wish," Asher repeated a couple of times before now fully engulfing his father in an embrace.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. So, stop crying already," He tried a few more times before the sobs finally died out and an exhausted sleeping Norwegian was in the pineapple's arms.


	26. Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord's thoughts about the pineapple named Asher.

Tord hated it.

To cry so pathetically in front of his own 'child.'

He hated how weak and vulnerable he had become at that moment. To even be comforted by the teen was making him feel terrible and uncomfortable since as a parent it was his duty to be the strong one. It was his job to do the comforting and be a pillar of support.

And yet, his worthless emotions had once again had gotten the better of him.

It had gotten the better of him since it made him appear so weak. But it also had gotten the better of him since the stupid display of vulnerability was able to convince Asher to come back to England with him.

So here they were now.

They were in England as he was being held by his 'son' in an embrace somewhere along the sea. The pineapple was covering the entirety of his back and was resting his head on his shoulders.

Asher had stated in a compromise that once they return to England they should at least go to the beach and watch the sea. So here they were.

Just basking in each other's presence that it made Tord think on how the sixteen-year-old pineapple had now grown to be quite the man of his own.

From his smart intellect and matured character to his now larger physique of 6 ft.2'. Tord wondered whether the pineapple cared about the changes and if he ever wondered why Tord never seemed to physically age.

It's been years since they first saw each other but Tord realized how much he was currently untouched by time. He still physically looked the same as the first time he arrived in the said time period. No wrinkle could be found on his face or any sign of aging could be sighted on his body.

He still looked like he when he was forty-four when in truth, he's now sixty-two; becoming sixty-three in the coming October month.

He wondered why Asher wasn't questioning him. That said, the silvernette could somehow understand that that thought might not be in the pineapple's mind since he is a pineapple. Asher must be thinking how the both of them were just beings beyond expectations and regularities and all that.

Sighing at the thought, Tord smiled ruefully as he was now close to his goal.

Asher's already sixteen so it wouldn't be that bad for him to leave some time later this year. He was now quite close to his goal of leaving and later on taking over his younger self's body. He already laid out a number of things which the pineapple could use when he was gone.

Asher's inheritance was already prepared to be delivered and he already had his will made. His current fortune and contacts as a Bloodfield would immediately go to the teen. He also made sure that the tropical fruit would still be guided enough with the plans and guidelines he made since it's accompanied by an intelligent and human-like android that he made that would serve as a backup guardian and confidant for the other.

So, it wouldn't be wrong to leave soon.

After all, he had already done the preparations for Asher.

Now, what's important is that he makes sure that the plans he made for himself and the preparations that he had would be of good use to him. It was all up to him now and that he makes sure to use of the timing on when he'd use his time travel device since he feels like it's pretty soon.

Closing his uncovered eye, Tord sighed and just allowed him to be swept by the flow for now. He might as well let Asher savor their familial relationship as much as he could before he disappears.

* * *

It's been days now since Tord came out of his lab and it was coming closer to his birthday. He was now close in actuality to turning sixty-three-years-old this year. The very thought of it made him sigh deep inside on and wonder how things would have gone if Tom never died.

Maybe at some point, he would have really ended up marrying the Brit out of mere companionship and as Tom's reward for choosing to stay with him. Maybe that would have happened at some point.

But that would never happen now, would it?

The Tom of his own timeline was now gone. Deceased. Dead.

And what he had now was just the mere possibility of once again meeting and befriending the eyeless brunet. That possibility also gave the fact that he could make up for his mistakes to both Edd and Matt. After all, the three of them had a complete reset while he'd be taking his younger self's body as his own.

That way, the four of them could be together again just like in his original timeline.

They could be friends again that would go on to adventures, discover amazing new things and have loads of fun.

Smiling brightly at the thought, Tord was startled to find it snowing outside when it was October here in London. Usually snowing would start by mid-December and end by April; which pretty much was puzzling Tord for the sudden unpredictable weather.

But a sudden thought came up on his mind.

What if it was a signal?

A signal that he should hurry up with his last-minute tasks and say goodbye to Asher.

It was nearly time.

"Father, are you okay?" Asher questioned as he was leaning on the door jamb as he was sipping his tea.

Blinking his eye to get his mind out of the gutter, a certain kind of sadness pervaded in him as he watched his 'son.' His first ever 'child.'

He was about to leave Asher behind.

Smiling sadly at the thought, Tord knew that what he did of raising the pineapple was for his own selfish reasons. But that didn't put out the fact that he was able to build a strong enough connection with the 'boy.'

He still considered Asher as to be his.

Asher was his successor. His 'son.'

"Father?" The pineapple now asked him in concern as he placed his mug on the coffee table and came towards him.

"I'm fine," Tord answered back as he held out his hand for the teen to take and pulled the taller being into an embrace.

"Father?" A curious look now marred Asher's face which had Tord smiling sadder as he looked up. His little boy had now grown up and he had to leave him soon.

He had to leave him soon since he had his own things to deal with.

Swallowing back the guilt that was bubbling in his chest, he stated, "You know that no matter what I'll always care about you, Asher. You are after all my son."

"I know, Father. I know," Asher cooed as Tord was only held closer and father and son now watched the continuous fall of snow.


	27. Younger Counterpart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew where he was.
> 
> The cold harshness of the floor and the bright white of the metallic walls were enough to signify where he was. That, and the large cylindrical tubes he was currently surrounded with only confirmed his suspicion.
> 
> He was back here.

Tord knew that he couldn't prolong things any longer.

The snow was only getting worse and the bizarre phenomenon of a rain of literal blood was the one to finally able to convince the silver haired Norwegian that it was time.

It was time to take over the life of his younger self and start anew.

So, on the very day of birth, he decided to spend it with his son, Asher. Having the teen most of the day just an arm's length away from him. That, and he showered the pineapple as much familial affection that he could.

So, as of the current moment, it was now close to night and the last rays of the sun's light was currently shining on the both of them as they watched the sunset at their home's balcony. Tord disentangled himself from Asher and smiled ruefully as he thought whether he should even properly try to say his goodbyes.

Turning back to look at the sentient tropical fruit that he had raised, he took out the time travel device that had made and prayed.

He prayed that the things for Asher would be great. He prayed that his new future would better. And most of all, he prayed that in this new time he is about to go, someday he and Tom would finally be able to meet the people that they respectively love.

"Asher." Tord called his son's attention and smiled one last bright smile at the teen. "I hope things go well for you, my child," he says as he turns on the device and everything went with a loud bang and flash of light as blood rain falls on the ground.

* * *

It was loud.

Waking up to the loud sounds of sirens and the raucous ringing of gunfire.

It was as if he had once again found himself returning to a battlefield.

A battlefield that was highly drenched with not only the scent of blood but also the stench of chemicals and antiseptics.

Tord forced his uncovered eye open and sat up from his currently prone position.

He knew where he was.

The cold harshness of the floor and the bright white of the metallic walls were enough to signify where he was. That, and the large cylindrical tubes he was currently surrounded with only confirmed his suspicion.

He was back here.

In the lab that trapped him until his toddler years.

The Larsson Pharmaceutical's laboratory in Winnipeg, Canada.

The place that Tom and he burned in the future of his first timeline.

Pushing away any of his other unnecessary thoughts, Tord realized that the time travel device he used was still in one piece and that the coat he was wearing was the one that Asher had draped over him before they were viewing the sunset.

It looked like things went relatively well enough for him for his aforementioned time travel journey that he was still able to take a souvenir from that time.

Tord then smiled at the discovery and finally stood up as the roars of gunfire and struggle rang out the laboratory's extensive hallways. The noise only meant one thing.

 **He** was finally out.

His younger self was finally out of the shackles the scientists had placed him and was fighting his way out of the hellhole they were currently in.

He was finally out and Tord thought that it wouldn't be that bad to intervene much later; waiting out a bit on the fight. After all, as much as Tord knew what he was back then, the Norwegian wanted to know what his younger self was from another perspective and understand how well was he truly of a fighter and monster back then.

* * *

Battered and bruised, with a number of broken bones and still open cuts from incisions and chemical pumping then add in a few bullet holes and grazes, the child sleeping deeply on the damp ground was being watched over by a man with horned silver hair with two fully uncovered glowing eyes.

Tord watched as his younger self was recuperating from the massacre and escape that he did.

The Norwegian couldn't help from applauding his younger self from having the sheer will to fight so many people even with such a state. The absurdity of it all would have appalled him of the stakes if it were him in his older years and in a saner state mind. But, the one in front of him was the version of himself which was forced into utter desperation. The one that had no other choice but had the interest of wanting to stay alive.

That's the difference of the two of them at the moment aside from their physicality and all.

The way they think of things.

Tord was wondering how much of a fight would his younger self have in going against him with the fusion. After all, there were still chances of one side merely winning and the other soul being forever lost into the abyss of death. But right now, Tord has no intentions of letting the soul of his younger self even go even if he had won over his body.

To let his younger counterpart's soul go would be a waste of power since mana is the excess of the soul and its manifestation. By devouring the child soul Tord knows that his magic would get stronger and it'll make things easier for him in the long run.

Taking a deep breath, Tord knew that now was his chance to use the spell. He already prepared the magic circle and the other materials he needed. He was just waiting for the moon now to show in its entirety in the sky.

The full moon was to bolster the spell's power and effectiveness. Which was why, the Norwegian was waiting for the rain to now die down as he watched his younger counterpart sleep. 


	28. Soul and Escape

It was painful.

The whole process of taking over his younger counterpart's body and devouring his soul felt so painful that for a moment Tord wondered if he even did the spell right. After all, he felt as if every fiber of his being was ripped to little pieces and put back together again in such a painful cycle that Tord couldn't stop himself from screaming.

It was undeniably painful but Tord didn't want to give up. He would never want to give up now just because of the pain.

He was now so close to finally getting what he wanted. He couldn't just give up because of this. So, Tord forced himself to deal with the pain and focus on what he was doing.

Being broken over and over again while being rebuilt; the pain soon began to ebb with the flow of time until it finally stopped. Ragged breaths and gasps then filled the brightly lit night as Tord was accustoming himself to his new body.

Glowing gem like eyes blinked as it looked at the starry sky and noticed how the moon was now slowly being covered by the clouds again. The sound of rumbling thunder was upon the air as the winds increased in its fierceness.

It looked like it was about to rain again so Tord forced himself to move and take note of his surroundings.

The woods he was currently in was now the picture of death as the once verdant vegetation was no more. The noise of animals and night creatures were now even silenced and the ground he was standing on looked as if it was long dead and dry.

Tord then took a deep breath and discarded the bloodied clothes his younger self wore to set it on fire; not caring about the fact that he was now naked as the day he was born or that all of his injuries were now healed. The Norwegian strode forwards and headed to the prone body he formerly inhabited.

He rummaged his former body's pockets and found a couple of small boxes with buttons. Checking them one by one, Tord finally found what he wanted and pushed it to reveal a set of children clothes which he immediately wore while another box revealed a cryogenic chamber which was where he planned to place his older body.

Tord then tried to reach within himself to check whether his magic was still there to function properly and found it his now doubled in capacity. It had increased to such a great extent that Tord couldn't stop himself from smiling in pleasure at the discovery. His already large magic reserves doubled and it only meant more benefits for him in the future.

With a flick of right wrist, Tord then levitated his older body into the cryogenic machine and had it set up as he erased the traces of a magic circle on the ground since he didn't want it to be traced back to him.

The possibility of it being known to be connected to him would be close to null but Tord didn't want to have chances. He was still in enemy ground; far from the borders of America and the safety that he knew that would greet him once he meets his father.

Therefore, Tord was cautious as he finished cleaning up his traces and pushed the cryogenic machine's button to make it turn back into a small box. This box was then secured into the inner pockets of his coat for safety keeping along with the other small boxes which his older body kept.

"I have to move soon," Tord remarked as the sounds of sirens and the blaring of gun fire was coming closer. It looked like he got the attention of his trackers which was why he soon ran to flee from them.

* * *

How many days had it been already?

A week? Half a month?

Tord had lost track of time during the moments he was shaking off his awfully persistent trackers. Thankfully, Tord remembered what those bastards would do so he had the advantage and used his short peaceful moments of rest to assimilate his younger self's memories with his. Which at a point he knew wouldn't be that much helpful since the tortures they've done to him was just the same as to what they've done to him before in the first timeline.

So, here he was now.

He was now fortunately past the American border and traveling his way to New York stowed away in a cargo plane which some shipping company had.

It was just as he remembered; the staff of were just as careless that he was able to slip in and wait for the ride. Tord then made use of his time there to sleep and gather his strength while he practiced the spells he knew with his current body.

Just a few more hours and the whole plane ride would soon be over.

He had to be ready since the security of the expecting crew who would receive the shipment would tighter. He had to be ready and use the right time to make a break for it.

He would soon see him.

He would see his father. 


	29. Father and Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord meets his father and the man ends up being surprised with his existence.

* * *

Claude de Alger Obelia never knew a day would come where he'd become a father.

For all of his worth, he never found real romantic interest in either men or women. He'd only sometimes have the urge to fuck them and take control.

So, color him surprised to know one day that he has a child.

The said child was something he discovered as he was taking a walk along the Bow Bridge in Central Park. The child was a sitting on the banks of the lake and was seemingly staring off into space until both of their eyes had met.

His own gem like cerulean blue eyes met two colored gems; one was the same color as his while the other was like emeralds. Claude stopped in his tracks as he felt something within him snap into place and he felt the pull to get close to the kid.

The pull was his own magic that was screaming at him to get ahold of the other and protect them. Protect them from what? Claude didn't know. But the blond knew that his magic was usually right so he didn't give it any further thought as he took a deep breath and headed toward the quiet child.

Coming closer, Claude was finally able to notice how the other's long hair was a lot like his in color save for the fact it had a few noticeable streaks of silver. It was as if, the child's hair color had changed for some unknown reason.

Claude shook his head and focused onto the other aspects of the kid.

The child's face was lovely and looked that of a girl that Claude was wondering if his new daughter would accept him or if she already had a family of her own. Maybe they were with her. But he easily shot down the notion because what sensible adult would leave a toddler unattended and so close to the lake?

_"Was she left behind here?_

_Was she left behind by one of the women he had ended up fucking?"_

Frowning at the thought, Claude then realized how she stood up and was expectantly waiting for him which had his frown turn into a smile. _"She knows. She could probably feel our connection too,"_ he thought as he could sense the familiar thrumming of the other's own magic calling out to him.

Reaching out his own hand, Claude gave his brightest smile and introduced himself, "Hello. My name is Claude de Alger Obelia and I am your father."

So here they were now.

He was in his penthouse carrying a quietly sleeping child as he paced about. He was wondering if he should contact anyone from his own family when he remembered how he was disowned years ago because he was different and was forced to change his surname to that of an Obelia.

He was disowned just because his own magic was stronger and he used it more in offense instead of defense. So, making up his mind, he decided to keep quiet about his offspring and raise her on own his own.

Raising one child couldn't be that hard right?

* * *

It was amusing.

Tord found his father just as amusing as he was when he first saw him all those years ago.

The man immediately assumed he was a girl and bought him quite a number of dresses and shoes that when he told the elder that he was a boy, he froze. Claude de Alger Obelia froze in embarrassment which had Tord giving the man a soft smile and telling him that it was fine. "It's fine, Papa. I wouldn't mind wearing all the clothes you bought me," Tord remarked as he didn't want to make the other's mood any worse.

After all, in his first life, he already gave the man enough bloody trouble that Tord was regretting the fact that he never actually gave the elder the chance to be close to him. That even with all the patience and affection that the blonde gave, Tord still did his best to push him away; until the very end.

Claude had been quite rather honest to him and had always took it upon himself to cater his needs. Sure, the man's expressions and the way he acted could easily enough give other people another idea. After all, he hardly smiled and his smiles were no more than the slight up turn of his lips. But he was sincere.

The man clearly cared about him up to point that Claude sacrificed his own life for him when he was fourteen.

So now, Tord decided that he might as well make it up to the man and be a better child.

If Claude wanted a daughter then Tord wasn't above pretending to be a daughter since he already knows that he pretty much prefers being fucked by guys as girls would in his older years. Wearing a dress and acting like a good little daddy's girl wouldn't be that bad.

As long as it wouldn't hinder him in his future plans with the gang and the Red Army; he could pretty much deal with this small lifestyle change.

* * *

It was odd.

Claude found his new child odd.

After all, the child was a boy but was fine in being thought to be a girl. That, and the said child also acted like an adult at times.

The way those heterochromatic eyes looked at him sometimes was as if he was being judged and weighed whether he was a threat or an ally. That said, soon enough they'll soften and look as that of child's with sparkling wonder and curiosity.

They'll look at him with those sparkling eyes that his own ice-cold heart would thaw and Claude would feel the need to make sure that the boy would always be happy. So, as whenever his child wanted something, Claude always did his best to deliver. All for the sake of his own child's happiness.

Looking at the boy right now, he was surprised that the other didn't even question about his new name. After all, the name he had chosen was quite rather feminine since he wanted to get some kind of protest from the boy but none came.

Even if he referred to him as his daughter and treated him as a girl, his child would willingly accept it with a smile and tell him that it was far better than the treatment he used to receive from his previous caretakers.

So, he asked.

He asked what kind of treatment did he receive and the answers that he got angered him.

The boy willingly told him everything and Claude found out how the other was treated as an experiment for a number of years and wasn't even considered as a human. Hell, he was never even given a name except for a number. Zero.

That was what they'd sometimes call him when he wasn't referred to as a monster or an object. His son had told him this which had Claude now understanding why the boy was okay with what he was doing.

Which in turn made him feel guilty for his mistakes and was willing enough to make it up to the boy by changing his name. But his son wasn't interested.

His son told him that he was happy with the name he was given.

Tord Athanasia Obelia. This name which was derived from the language of ancient magic books of the Holy Sycansian Empire that formerly resided in Norway and England and ruled over the magic users of the olden times. This name which means 'Red Undying King' was something his son was quite rather proud of and unwilling to change even as feminine his first two names are.

"Papa, what are you thinking of?" A gentle voice with an accent asked.

Blinking his eyes, Claude turned his head to the four-year-old reading a book on his lap and sighed as he was able to discern which book his son was reading. His son was reading a novel he had that was published from the 1990s and it was 'The Good Omens' which Claude naturally found interesting. That said, he was concerned since an ordinary four-year-old shouldn't be able to read such books of adult caliber and yet his son was reading it as if it was age appropriate for him.

"Papa?"

"Nothing, Athy," Claude answered as he patted the boy's head.

"But you looked like you wanted to kill someone," the child remarked with such honesty that it had the blond clearing his throat.

"I'm fine. Something was just on my mind."

"Okay, Papa," the boy said and everything was back to their peaceful silence.


	30. Realization

Almost everything was just like before with his father. The only exception was that Tord listened to the man and obeyed him. Heck, he even did his best to smile so brightly at Claude that Tord wondered if it was too much to follow the lead and act like the protagonist of a story that he once read that in a sense had the similar situation with him.

The only difference that he had with that protagonist was that he was a boy and he willingly traveled to where he was currently right now and forcefully inhabited his current body. But he had a somewhat similar name from that person and his father too had the exact same name and appearance as the protagonist's father.

Anyway, Tord knows that he might be laying it in too thick. But...The way his father was behaving was just pretty entertaining on itself.

From being so cold to warm in just a few moments, Tord was starting to get the idea where he had inherited the sudden mood changes. It pretty much looked like he got it from his father.

Tord smiled at such a thought and massaged his cheeks as he could feel how his face was getting more exercise. Showing different facial expressions as a child in this current timeline was making him use more of his facial muscles as to compared to his original one as a kid which was why Tord hoped he wouldn't get any wrinkles or laugh lines just because he had to smile.

Thinking about himself having laugh lines, a grimace found itself on his face and Tord decided that he might as well only act as a good and happy child when in front of his father and in certain circumstances.

After all, his goal isn't to be like a certain blond princess that anchored herself to her father, but instead his goal is to make sure things turn out right and meet his friends again. He wasn't Athanasia de Alger Obelia of the novel and manhwa 'Who Made Me a Princess.' Instead, he was Tord Athanasia Obelia and he was his own person with his own motives and agendas.

His goal is to be with the gang and convince them to join his side once the war comes. To have Edd, Matt and Tom supporting him while he makes his enemies fall and rules the world was what he wanted.

Speaking of the gang, Tord knew that his friends would currently be four right now just like him. Just two more years and he could finally see them since they'd enroll in the same school for their Year 1 or Kindergarten.

Thinking about it, they all used to attend Meyers-Avery School since it was all close to them in London. But now, Tord was wondering if he should connect with his contacts in England already and convince or guide his other friend's parents to send the trio to another school since there's a high chance that their standing would affect their choice of schooling.

But as he thought more about it, Tord decided to not change where they were about to study and instead focus on the fact that they should be enrolled all together in the same school. That's what matters now. After all, that's where his tentative friendship with the gang started.

That being said, Tord knew that he didn't want to spend the rest of his years there; in a room full of hormonal children. Which was why once he made basic contact with his friends, he plans to stay in America for a few years and get himself his degree there just like in his old timeline but earlier.

That instead of heading to America when he was ten and finishing high school in just one year in that age, he'd head earlier. Followed by it are his degrees and soon his PhDs so by the time he's sixteen he should already be finished with whatever other educational crap he decided to do or undertake.

Then, with his remaining free time he would be able to use it for further planning and maybe check up on his friends. That way, he could make sure things in this aspect of his interactions with his friends would still be the same.

* * *

It was changing just like how it did in his original lifetime.

Tord noticed how his hair was now becoming more of silver instead of blond and his eyes were now both becoming their usual green. Blinking his eyes at what the mirror was showing him, Tord sighed and looked outside the window to find it raining heavily.

It had already been four months since he lived with his father in New York City when he and Claude got themselves getting accosted by some familiar people. The familiar people were from the main family and the reason for the main family's sudden interest was because they found out about his existence. Which in turn was the reason why he and his dad moved here in Norway since the last confrontation ended up with his father getting furious and killing the bastards which the main clan sent through a fight.

Thinking about it, Tord wondered how did the main family know about him this early in time when last he remembered was that they only knew of his existence at the sixth month on which he lived in New York with Claude. What changed? What got the main family's attention?

But a sudden thought made Tord pause in his pacing steps.

Compared to back then, he was more active and obedient to his father in this timeline. And... (1) Faen.

Tord groaned as he suddenly realized what changed things. His current 'Daddy's little girl' attitude with Claude and always being with man was what changed and sped things up. With the way he is right now, Claude more often than not insisted that he came along. He was now usually somewhere just within the elder blond's sight; if not carried by the man himself.

No wonder they'd know about his existence. Him being taken care of by the usually indifferent man would be a huge tip-off on what he was to Claude. Add in his appearance that highly resembled his father as much as his coloring have changed a bit.

Groaning at the over looked fact, Tord berated himself for not being able to think about this outcome from ever happening. To think that back then he was the type that was able to cover all probabilities from different sides and now he's reduced to this.

Tord was angry at himself.

It seemed like staying those twenty-seven years in the past had softened him up and Tord wasn't liking any of it, at all.

Tord growled at his realization and decided that he needed to deal with this. After all, the reason his father died when he was fourteen was because of the main family's doing. Therefore, he needed to move his hand now if he didn't want to live in the exact same way where his father was always at war with group.

Making up his mind, Tord finally decided to take out his hidden cards. 

* * *

**Translation:**

(1) **Faen** [Norwegian] - Fuck


	31. Hidden Cards

Tord knew that he may have gotten softer since his return. That said, that doesn't put out the fact that he still is who he was.

That he was still a monster and he was the Red Leader.

He had already killed millions of people before and ruthlessly dispatched the rest if his enemies. He ruled over an empire and brought unadulterated fear to the world. He can't just let some dumb fuck random bastards take away something that was his.

True, he might have been blind in his first life and pushed away his father. But Claude was his.

Claude was his father. His sire.

He should be the one to decide on when the older man would die. Not those envious good for nothing idiots.

Which was why, Tord decided that it would probably better now if he makes up his oversight with the preparations he had done in the post.

Those twenty-seven years weren't just about changing his friends starting points. Those twenty-seven years had also become the time for him to set up his own independent force that would obediently follow him no matter what. That, as much as he had already had the Red Army in the future, this other group of his could be of an assurance to him.

They could be source of power right now.

So, ignoring the fact that his father's currently hired servants were watching him, Tord slammed the door of his father's office shut and contacted his followers via Claude's computer. He contacted them to know that the radio silence was now to end and inform them where he was and what were their new orders.

And not long, he received their reply.

It looked like help was now coming their way.

* * *

Claude knew that his child was different.

The boy already told him so with his past as an experiment and all. But that doesn't put out the fact that Claude feels like his child was hiding something from him.

The boy was bloody four-fucking-years-old and yet for all the twenty-eight- years of him; Claude feels like his own son knows more than him. Those now gem like green eyes of his would sometimes look at him as if he were some specimen that was to be thoroughly examined. But soon enough, the piercing look would change to that of a child's that had Claude sometimes wondering if he was close to slipping insanity.

Putting those things aside, Claude looked at calendar in front of his face and frowned to find it November 15, 2006. It had already been five months since he had acquired the boy and now moved in with him to a manor he had in Norway. So far, those from the main family had now decided to back off considering the carnage that he had left but that still doesn't stop Claude from worrying if another attack would happen.

But what's worse is that Claude knows that they're now targeting his son.

After all, based from the type of attacks that they were going with his child had become something that was quite rather high on their hit list. Proof of it was that they called not only him but also the boy as an abomination that shouldn't be allowed into existence. That, and they continuously attacked the kid even if it meant it would end up harming themselves. They were pretty much keen on being a suicide squad of sorts with the whole matter that it definitely pissed Claude off since the only problem the boy had was that he was his son.

So yeah, Claude was still stewing with this annoying information that he had when he suddenly receives an invitation to attend a ball hosted by the head of Crescent Moon Industries. Which in turn had him wondering why one of the top Pharmaceutical companies in the world was willing to interact with him when his line of business that of military weapons production.

Were these people in cahoots with his family? But then again, the blond knew that the main clan weren't the type to just mingle with people who had none of the magic lines. Heck, his family were pretty much magic supremacists so interacting with such a group would be pretty much below them unless the benefits they held were enough to put such things aside.

Sighing at where he's thoughts were bringing him, Claude pinched the bridge of nose and wondered if it was really okay to attend the ball with his son.

* * *

It was just as he expected.

Tord knew his father would at a point bring him along to the Ball his followers had arranged. After all, Tord had played his cards well of being a very curious child who was interested on what went on parties and reasoned out how children were also invited.

So, here was now.

He was wearing a cute pink dress that was laced with dark red ribbons and red doll shoes as he was being carried by his father in some grand hotel in Oslo. He was donning on a female get up since.... Well, call it pathetic, but Tord just found it in himself he actually likes not only dressing up as a girl but being treated as one too. That being called as 'daughter' was making him happier than being referred to as a 'son' and being called 'princess' was also getting it going too.

Pushing the issue of his sudden identity crisis aside, Tord knew that this new discovery of his needed some professional help later on. But right now, all he knew was that he still liked to be a guy and would never even want his sex changed. The whole 'daughter' and girl thing was new preference he was coming to understand but have no interest of making it real to the extent of changing his sex. He would still pretty much like to be known to many as a boy, have a dick and later on be known as 'Red Leader' and then 'Emperor.'

And yeah, he was about to meet his followers so he might also be interested wanting to getting them off guard. So, shaking off the rest of his thoughts, Tord now focused on what's about to happen in this Ball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, there might be questions.
> 
> Why is Tord willing to continue in wearing dresses and be treated like Claude's "daughter" instead of a "son"?
> 
> Well, it was mentioned here and would be again mentioned in future chapters how Tord in the 2nd timeline was now liking dressing up as a girl and liked being treated as a daughter because it was kind of a coping mechanism for him. I mean, with his previous timeline, he was a terrible "son" to his father and due to it the blond died early.
> 
> Now, the change in dress and character served as a reminder for him to be better and was a way for him to distance and distinguish himself from his past. 
> 
> Nonetheless, it wasn't like he really wanted to be a girl. It was just that something in his psyche got messed up that one of the ways his mind used in dealing with his past baggage was this way.
> 
> Anyway, sorry for rambling. It'll be mentioned in future chapters that Tord would end up seeking professional help and that he only dresses and acts as a girl in front of his father, the Crescent Moon and a few select others.


	32. Surprise

It was somewhat entertaining.

Tord was able to notice how a number of his men had their eyes bulging out at seeing him in the arms of his father while wearing a dress. That said, he was disappointed to know that Sebastian Phantom, Claudius Faust and Solomon Goldsmith (his first three servants and most trusted aides) were able to keep the surprise out of their faces.

Those three merely paused for a moment before smiling at him as if they knew what he was doing. Which in turn irked him a bit for some reason.

That said, Tord knew that he had something better to do. After all, he wouldn't have summoned his men if what he was going to do was important. Therefore, he smiled back at the three and gestured for his father to put him down.

Tord knew that with what's about to happen, he'd better distance himself first from the older Obelia. The man's presence and magic may not frontally harm him but if things were to go wrong then Tord would rather not take his chances of what was to come to him.

* * *

Claude felt like something was amiss.

The whole Ball thing looked to be so well. That said, the way everyone was looking at his child was a bit unnerving.

It was as if his son held all the answers in the world and was their God to be worshiped. The pure adoration and loyalty that they were giving out could be felt in waves and Claude felt as if his very presence was being either questioned or ignored in the room.

Then what made matters all the more intriguing was that his son directly went up to the host and held up his hands as if he expected to be carried. And lo behold, mysterious Sebastian Michaelis immediately takes his son in his embrace and call's the room.

Then an announcement was made.

* * *

Who knew that getting a whole large ballroom full of people to kneel at your feet and call you master would get his father raging for answers? Claude may have acted all cold and collected during the whole event but Tord could definitely feel a roaring fire underneath the elder's skin.

Tord could feel how the elder's magic was just waiting to be unleashed and he had half the mind to be curious enough on what would his father do with such anger.

"Athy, no, Tord. I want you to be honest with me," Claude pleaded as he paced back and forth at their home.

"Okay," Tord voiced out as he patiently he sat at an ornate looking chair and watched the man think over things.

"Was everything that they said true? That you are their lord master and you created them?"

Sighing at where things were going, Tord replied, "Papa, what they told you is true. I created them. They are my servants. Their loyalty is bound to me."

"But how—"

"You know of the concept of homunculi, right, Papa? Well, they're a lot like that. Except they're more like actual androids that have souls and could use magic.

I mean, their bodies are made up of metal and plastic parts. Their blood glows blue which I call Thirium. I basically programmed their code, appearance, function and attitude. So yeah, they're actually pretty much androids that look too close as a human. That said, they could also be considered as homunculi in the magical sense since some of their own codes developed and evolved into what's close to a soul. That, and they were made to be able to use magic." Tord confessed as he stared at his father.

"Oh..."

"Papa, look. I'm sorry for the sudden surprise.

But, with what happened in New York and us moving here to Norway to get away from the attacks made me consider the fact that we should get better security," the four-year-old admitted as he closed his eyes.

"By security means getting into contact with the Crescent Moon?"

"Yes. As much as the Crescent Moon is a pharmaceutical company, it's quite rather adept in terms of military training. To be exact, I personally made a number of them to be as such."

"How???"

"It's complicated," Tord remarked as he smiled ruefully.

"Tord..." Claude trailed off with a frustrated tone that had the four-year-old tempted to open his eyes. But Tord refused the temptation and instead leaned further into the chair which he sat on.

"It's still the same just like back then. I was Athy when things were great. Athansia when you were in your formal moods and Tord when you were either frustrated or angry. That said, I never heard you call me by my whole name before. Maybe in this life I could make you so livid you'd end up referring to me as such," he shared nonchalantly as he began taking off his doll shoes with his eyes still closed.

"What do you mean by this life?" Claude questioned as he was now in front of his son and knelt to come closer to the boy.

Tord finally opened his eyes and pulled up his knees to his chest as he replied, "It means what it means, Papa. This is my second chance in life and I don't want to mess it up."

A surprised look was on the elder's face and Tord basically heard the man take a deep breath. "So, you're not really a child..."

Smiling sadly, Tord admitted, "Physically speaking I am. Mentally? I'm an adult. That said, I never really had a childhood since the main family made things difficult and that some of your enemies are problematic enough as is, Papa.

If you're wondering what happened to you, you died quite rather early. You sacrificed yourself for me so I never really had the chance to know you better. Then, I was further forced to grow up.

I grew up as much I could; clawing my way through with what you left behind and making it better. Obelia Industries further grew into power that was well known in the world and I was basically known to be the 'Prince of Death' as I was your successor and child.

Then, things happened. I was forced to do things more up front and war occurred. I later on become Emperor and ruled the world. Respected and feared by many. I ruled in a manner that had people in favor of my power and authority but also hated me for the project it was hindering."

"You sound like you grew up to be quite rather well," Claude weakly supplied which had Tord giving an empty laugh.

"I was a fucked-up monster. Still am.

I may have ruled with enough glory and left a great legacy but I still failed. I failed since all the people I cared about are dead. You were dead. My friends were dead. Then the sole person who told me that he loved me for everything I am was also dead.

To be exact, the reason why I got here was because of him," Tord shared as closed his eyes again and now focused on the loud patter of rain.

* * *

**End Notes:**

This is the servant trio that was mentioned earlier in the story.


	33. Issues

* * *

It was tiring.

Living the past two years slowly trying to make his father warm up to him again. Tord was worried that the man would throw him away at the revelation he gave but instead it looked like Claude tried to understand. Claude did his best to understand him and give him a chance that Tord only ended up further regretting on why he never truly gave the man a chance in his first life.

That said, as much as the man was now hellbent in spoiling him, Tord could still sense how Claude would stop to assess him from time to time. The blond would sometimes have that calculative look on his face and stare at him for a few seconds before hiding it again.

And yet, Tord was choosing to believe him.

Tord wanted to believe that his father cared for him just as he did back then. So, he was willing to let such things slide and try to focus on his present and the plans he was making.

With him now near entering kindergarten or Year 1 in British school standards, Tord was doing his best to convince his father to allow him to study in England. And by convince, the now purely silver haired Norwegian was somewhat forced to divulge a number of things just to make Claude understand that his presence in England was necessary.

He ended up begrudgingly telling the man on how England was an important step since that’s where he would end up meeting his friends. That, and that’s also where he would meet **him**. That it was where he would end up meeting Tom.

Tord smiled slightly as he recalled how his father reacted to know that he had been in a relationship with a boy. That instead of being disgusted or angry like what other normal fathers usually would do Claude was instead happy yet concerned for him.

His father was happy for him since he found someone for him. But the blond was concerned for him since he wanted to know everything about Tom. Claude wanted to know if Tom was nice to him. He wanted to know if Tom had ever hurt him and abused him.

Claude wanted to know if Tom was good for him.

The whole idea of his father being like that was just endearing. Far too endearing.

Smiling more at the memory, Tord now focused on his father who was pacing on the floor and watched as Claude was debating with himself on the merits of meeting the aforementioned ‘Tom.’ Which now brought Tord out of his quiet observing shell to protest, “Papa, he’s basically the same age as me right now! You can’t expect him to know about what happened during my time since he wasn’t the one to get a second chance. He’s just a kid!”

Cerulean blue gems then turned to look at his own green gem like orbs to say, “He might be a kid right now, Athy. But that doesn’t put out the fact that I want to meet the person who made my daughter fall so hard for him!”

Blinking at the sudden ‘daughter’ comment, the silvernette tilted his head a bit in curiosity as he remarked, “You know, Papa, just because I now find myself liking to wear dresses more and sometimes acting like a girl that doesn’t mean you have to refer to me as your daughter.”

“I know. That said, I just thought about what the psychologist said and thought it better to go on with that term. I mean, as much as you still prefer to be referred as a he, I and the others have noticed how the terms ‘son’ and ‘daughter’ are affecting you.

Just like how the psychologist have pointed out that you ended up being the way you are right now since you’re to trying make a distinction of your original timeline from the current one. That, and you like being referred to as a ‘daughter’ since as a ‘son’ you felt that you have failed me. The female term was a reminder for you to be better.

Then, there’s the term of ‘princess.’ You have mentioned it to one of our visits to the psychologist that your Tom and your other friends had called you as princess in the past. Ms. Luka thinks that the term had become something that you positively associate with since it involved the happiness that you felt during the people you cared for. So, I think that having you referred as such wouldn’t be that bad,” Claude explained as he watched his son, no, daughter looked at him in bewilderment.

Tord took a deep breath at such an explanation and shoved down the surprise which he felt. It was quite rather thoughtful of his father to even think about his problems. Heck, being reminded that he was now even seeking professional help, a recommendation of his creation, Sebastian, had him understand that Claude was taking his offspring’s fucked up mental issues seriously.

Tord laughed at the absurdity of it all and yet the relief that he felt for his father’s acceptance of him and all the baggage he carried made him want to reach out to Claude. He wanted to thank the older blond for accepting him for who he was and caring about him for all of his faults.

He wanted to…

Swallowing back the weird emotions that he was feeling with in his chest, Tord took another deep breath to calm himself and redirected the topic as they’ve gone far off from what they were discussing. “Papa, I think we’ve been off topic for sometime now,” the silvernette stated as he watched Claude give a tired sigh.

“You and your notion of supposedly not needing emotions. You do realize that all of your mental health issues are related to that?” The elder said in exasperation as he grimaced at how his daughter was now being difficult.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Papa,” Tord smiled brightly as he ignored all the feelings that he was feeling and opted to go for a bright mask to hide his messed-up complications.

“Fine,” Claude groaned as he conceded, “I don’t want us to go back and forth with about your issues. That said, I’ll agree to moving with you to England and allowing you to meet with your friends in the condition that you’d allow me to meet them too at some point later on.”

“Okay.”

“That, and you should continue seeing miss Luka for your sessions,” Claude immediately held up his hand to stop whatever it was his daughter was about to say and continued, “I know that you don’t want to go to her since you feel that you don’t need to see a psychologist. But seriously, Athy, I think you need it. Maybe it’s not in the way you think but seeing her is a great help in letting you deal with your issues.”

“Fine,” Tord begrudgingly replied and finally decided that their discussion was enough.

He was finally able to convince his father to allow him to attend his schooling in England. Letting the blond meet his friends in the future and continuing to see a psychologist wouldn’t be that bad of a compromise.

So, Tord stood up and excused himself from Claude presence before he would have any further weird thoughts.


	34. Six-Year-Old Tom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was adorable.
> 
> Tord was thinking how a six-year-old version of Tom was so adorable that he had to remind himself that the eyeless brunet doesn't even know him yet. So, Tord ran his hand at his now short hair and smiled in relief as he felt his familiar silver horns and the air softly blow at the back of his neck.

He was adorable.

Tord was thinking how a six-year-old version of Tom was so adorable that he had to remind himself that the eyeless brunet doesn't even know him yet. So, Tord ran his hand at his now short hair and smiled in relief as he felt his familiar silver horns and the air softly blow at the back of his neck.

Having long hair was nice since it made him look all the more wonderful while wearing his dresses. But now that he was wearing much more masculine clothes and was about to meet again his friends, Tord wanted things to be familiar and as it were back then.

He wanted his friends to meet this side of him again.

Shaking his head to get his mind out of the gutter, Tord then frowned as a couple of children were now surrounding the adorable Brit and they had a number of crayons on their hands as they were approaching. Blinking his eyes to know whether what he was seeing was real, Tord then searched for Edd as he knew that the former cola-addict should be the one to disperse the crowd.

But he ended up frowning instead as he watched how Edd was simply laughing along with the other boys as they were shoving crayons into Tom's empty sockets. Edd was laughing at the corner with the other bullying observers as how a whole box of 24 crayons was now inside the crying boy's voids and Tord was wondering how Edd was now an odd fuck sadist towards his own cousin.

Growling in dismay, anger and disappointment, Tord finally had enough as Tom's sobs only got louder and more objects were getting shoved in Tom's dark voids. The silvernette stood and walked towards the unruly group as he barked in command with all the aura he could as a former Emperor, "Enough!"

At that, everyone in the classroom stopped at what they were doing. All the eyes were now on Tord and the horned silvernette frowned at their looks as he walked towards Tom.

And just like how Moses parted the sea, the large number of children automatically made way for him as he headed for the sobbing brunet. As he came closer to Tom, Tord now grimaced as he noticed how Tom was still being held some of the bullies.

"Get your filthy hands off of him," he ordered and to his amusement, an ample amount of fear gave way to the bullies faces as they backed off away from him.

Tord then held out his hand and was glad to find Tom immediately holding unto it. There, he dragged Tom out of prying eyes. He dragged him out of the place which they called classroom but was more of 'Hell' for the crying brunet.

* * *

It hurts.

It hurts.

It freaking hurts.

All those children shoving crayons inside his eye sockets was so painful. That said, what hurts more is that no matter how he screamed and cried they didn't stop. Edd didn't stop them.

Edd was his own cousin. Edd was his elder cousin and he treated him like he would a big brother. 

But why?

Why didn't Edd help him?

Why was he laughing at him?

Feeling his chest hurt at the emotions he was feeling, he was suddenly surprised to have someone reach out their hand towards him. The hand was small just like his and due to all to the objects crammed into his 'eyes' he couldn't properly see who did it belong. That said, as he took hold of that warm hand, he definitely knew that it didn't belong to his cousin, Edward. It was from someone else.

Focused on that fact, he was surprised to find that person was able to make everyone stop and drag him away from all the terrible people. "Do you want me to help taking them all out?" A melodious voice with an odd accent asked as he was having trouble removing all the crayons that the bullies shoved in.

It was embarrassing.

It was the first day of school and this happened already.

With the help of those gentle hands, he was finally able to rid most of the crayons out of his sockets and catch a glimpse of his savior.

An angel.

Silver hair that was spiked to be like horns, gem like green eyes and the prettiest face that he had ever seen; he ended up blushing as he noticed how the other was staring at him in concern.

"H—Hi, my name is Tom. Tom Bloodfield," He stuttered out as the embarrassment he felt was accompanied by the throbbing pain his sockets had.

A small chuckle then rang out before the other introduced himself, "Hello. My name's Tord Athanasia Obelia."

"Nice name," Tom lamely supplied when he suddenly hissed.

"Okay, I think that we haven't gotten out everything. I mean, last time I check they shoved in about 24 crayons in your sockets. But we have only gotten 18 out." The silvernette replied as he hesitated on whether he should stick his fingers into those voids or let him deal with it alone.

Taking a hold of the hesitating hand, Tom allows them to slip into his 'eyes' and let the angel decide.

* * *

It was cold.

For all the years that Tord knew Tom and was in a complicated with sex benefits relationship with the Brit, the Norwegian never really asked on whether he could touch the other's voids. Even when they became an official couple, he never asked Tom.

It wasn't because he wasn't interested in them.

No, to be quite truthful about it, he had always been fascinated by the said voids which served as Tom's 'eyes.' From the first time he saw the eyeless brunet, he was intrigued by them. And yet, he didn't want to pry since he had already seen how much of a struggle it had been for Tom to have his 'eyes' as he grew up.

What's more, he knew that it was painful for Tom if something was lodged in his sockets.

Tom made it quite rather known when they were younger. So, as much as he was curios about them this was the first time for him to feel what was inside of those black sockets.

It was cold.

So cold.

It was as if Tord dipped his fingers in a bucket full of ice filled frozen water with the room temperature being -45 degree Celsius. It was just down right freezing.

Tord then forced himself from pulling his fingers and dutifully began to extract the remaining the crayons. One, two.... Six. He was finally able to remove the six remaining crayons when he realized that Tom had that oddly familiar look on his face.

It was so familiar that when Tom said that one word, "Angel," Tord's heart dropped into the abyss and felt as if he was placed somewhere in the Arctic.


	35. Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the way Tord was reminded of Thomas by Tom, the young silvernette felt like he needed to distance himself and use a distraction.

It was painful.

Hearing Thomas with that adoring and fervent tone as he called him 'Angel' made Tord's heart drop as it reminded him of the time the eyeless Brit would lovingly call him as his 'princess.'

His Tom was gone.

Thomas Rodgewell was gone.

And yet a single word and an all too familiar look from the six-year-old version of his deceased lover had him feeling conflicted. He was conflicted on whether he should reach out and cry in the arms of the darned brunet or push away and let fate run its natural course just like it did in his original timeline.

Sure, the six-year-old in front of him might not know what he was doing and was calling out to him unconsciously. But that doesn't put out the fact that Tord was finding himself affected as he was being reminded of his loss and the unbidden guilt for losing someone like Tom.

Forcing himself to smile, Tord shoved down his worthless feelings and turned away as he ignored the brunet's attempts of talking.

He needed to get away.

He had to get away.

This version of Tom was too young to start taking an interest in him and Tord wouldn't want the Brit to fall in love with him again. He didn't want to have Tom make another useless sacrifice because Tord knows that he doesn't love Tom back.

He wouldn't be able to give anything back.

Making up his mind, Tord walked away and ignored the hurt look that was given to him by the other child.

* * *

For the following years that came, Tord did his best to make his contact with Tom minimal. He made sure that the way he acted towards the brunet and the rest of his friends was similar to his past.

He smiled at them just the way like he did back then and talked to them in a similar manner. He portrayed to them an intelligent trigger-happy male that was a bit of an edge lord and liked Hentai to a great degree.

He acted like back then; having fun with the gang and teasing/annoying the hell out of Tom.

He allowed fate to run its natural course (except he left earlier than usual) and didn't hesitate to leave England for a couple of years to have his academic acceleration in America.

While he was in America, Tord finished High school in a year. Following which, he took a quadruple major in MIT (Math, Physics, Electrical engineering and Chemistry) which everybody else said was impossible. But look at him now. After 4 grueling school years of sleepless nights and exhausting academic endeavors that turned him more of a zombie (the whole thing got him a nickname as 'Masochistic Zombie Scholar' or some other kind of bullshit), Tord graduated at the top of class at the age of fourteen.

Those years of only focusing on his studies were enough to distract the silvernette from the unnecessary worry that he had for his friends and Tom. He was distracted him enough that when he realized he still had two years of freedom he was tempted to return to England. But the sudden thought of changing his friend's fates any further had him stopping.

After all, back then, he left for America when he was ten and only returned when he was sixteen (with a triple major) to 'attend' high school with the guys. But now, Tord left when he was eight and a half years-old and he still had two free years that he could use which he was now debating on what to waste on.

He had the option of remaining in going to Norway and strengthen his influence there using the Crescent Moon while he could brush up his military skills or he could try to start up a new company here in the U.S. The new company that he would set up, depending on how he plays it out, could be of great use to him when the war comes since he'd use to infiltrate it the American government.

Tord recalled how difficult it was to get America to bow down to him and his Army. It took enough years, sacrifice and bloodshed that Thomas had to be dispatched more than enough times to that country just to use his monster form to get a real advantage.

Remembering that fact, a new company was becoming much more appealing and remaining here in America a few more years won't be that bad. That said, he had to think of what kind of company he was about to make and have America and its citizens so interested in it.

He had to make sure that it was to become something so integral that it could deal with different sectors and that without it could end up crippling the country. And what was more integral to a country?

 _"Manpower,"_ the sudden thought came to the silvernette as he watched people go about while he stood at Times Square in New York. Office people were walking to their destinations, hawkers were selling their wares and a few other people were doing their jobs.

How could you affect a country's need for manpower?

Give them something better, stronger, faster and more efficient.

Give them a machine that looks so human that it could easily replace them.

Tord knew that he already had something like that.

A number of his own servants and followers were like that.

They were the androids that he created and he could give America something like that. Except, they won't have the same features of them being capable of possessing magic which could hide their presence as a machine. These new androids would be weaker in a sense compared to those who readily serve him.

Nonetheless, the public would probably lap them up for the ingenuity and newness their presence could provide. Their blue synthetic blood would call unto them and have everyone disregard everything else.

Grinning at his thoughts, Tord finally made up his mind.

Staying in the U.S with his new plans for the next remaining two years doesn't look that bad anymore. It could prove to be a productive distraction.


	36. Friends and Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord returns to England and reunites with the gang.

_"He's so handsome."_

Those were Tord's first thoughts as he was finally able to see again the eyeless brunet.

Tucked against the corner of the room that was filled with hormonal teenagers, a sixteen-year-old Thomas Bloodfield was wearing a simple black shirt with a ghost print on its center and black jeans that was accompanied by black sneakers. Tom was wearing an all-black outfit and somehow it suited him as much he should naturally be wearing something blue.

Tord sighed as he continued watching Tom for a couple more minutes when both of their 'eyes' met. Tom's voids met his gem green orbs and Tord was expecting the Brit to ignore him. But to his surprise, the brunet left his leaning position on the wall and walked towards him.

Tom walked towards him and a grin suddenly broke free on those handsome features that it had wondering him, _"What the fuck was going on?"_

Blinking his eyes to gather his thoughts, he tilted his head in curiosity and was about to ask the other why he was grinning when he was engulfed in a warm embrace. Tom was hugging him and Tord found himself unconsciously melting at the warmth and familiarity of it that the green-eyed teen had to remind himself that this wasn't his Thomas.

"You actually dyed your hair black," Tom remarked as he eased his hold on him and left his arm slung on the Norwegian's shoulder.

"I just felt like it," Tord replied as he stared at the other teen and noticed how the Brit's ears had a couple of silver piercings.

"You do realize that the way you look just screams Emo or Edgelord," he admonished which had the currently raven-haired teen elbowing his friend on the stomach and retort jokingly, "Me? An Emo or Edgelord? Seriously, out of the two of us, you're that guy. I'm just a guy who decided to dye his silver hair to black and wear a long black trench coat over my usual red shirt."

Tom snorted at those words and a smile crept on the raven's lips as he allowed himself to lean on the eyeless teen's body. Tord basked in the Brit's welcome presence and savored the way how Tom smelled the same. He savored how the other teen smelled like his Thomas: pineapples, metal and vodka.

Wait, Vodka?

Turning his eyes towards the silent teen, gem like green eyes were surprised to find voids staring at him and made him forget about what he was about to ask. Tom was staring at him longer than was necessary and it had Tord wondering if he did something wrong when the brunet cleared his throat and said, "I'm glad that you're back with us, Tord."

Internally sighing in relief at the other's words that signified he didn't do anything wrong, Tord smiled brightly at Tom and answered, "Well, likewise. I'm glad to be here with you guys."

A sudden loud clearing of a throat now had both teens brought out of their personal bubble and Tom only tightened his hold on Tord. "Hi, Edd," the brunet greeted his cousin which had the Norski noticing that there was a certain edge with Tom's voice.

Gem like green orbs then turned to the person in question and could see how Edd was with his signature cola can and green hoodie while Matt had rectangular glasses and wore a lilac colored long-sleeved dress shirt that had its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Tord smiled at the two and wasn't surprised when the brown eyed brunet pulled him out of Tom's hold to embrace him.

"You're back, Tord!" Edd boomed.

"Yeah, I am," the raven replied as he reached out a hand towards Matt and with his free arm and gestured to the ginger for a hug. Soon enough, Matt replaced the cola addict and he actually could feel tears run down the taller man's face.

"Please tell us that you won't go away again," Matt cried as he held Tord closer.

Tord felt guilty to make his friends end up like this. But he knew it was a necessary course of action. So, he swallowed down his guilt, "I'm sorry if I ended up leaving you guys. I mean, I didn't want to. But it was necessary that I head to America to study while my father was busy there doing some things."

"Oh...Okay," Matt breathed out as he finally let go of the raven and wiped his tears.

"You dyed your hair black," Edd commented to change the subject and no sooner the ginger added, "You look like an Edgelord or an Emo kid."

Laughing at the duo's words, Tord looked at Tom and noticed how the Brit seemed to be a little guarded.

It was odd.

 _"Why would Tom be guarded when it's just Edd and Matt with us? I mean, everybody else is basically ignoring us. So, why?"_ the raven internally questioned as a fake smile was on the other's lips and Tord wanted nothing more but to reach out to Tom and make that smile real. So, he walked over to the eyeless teen and wrapped his arm around the teen's left arm. Tord's hand intertwined with Tom's and he gave a slight squeeze.

The eyeless brunet's form relaxed at such action and Tom's smile was more genuine now as compared to before. Looking back to Edd and Matt, Tord shared what Tom told him earlier and ignored how the three was blatantly staring at him.

Tom's staring had some undecipherable warmth held within it while Matt and Edd was more of curiosity and something else which Tord couldn't possibly name. With those stares, the raven could feel some kind of tension was becoming thick in the air. And yet, he ignored it.

He ignored the tension that was in the air and only focused on the fact that he was with his friends again.

He focused on the fact that he was now home.


	37. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was entertaining.
> 
> Seeing the teenage versions of his friends mucking about was just as fun as it had been before. Matt's quirky comments, Edd's all to bright personality and Tom's own personal brand of nihilistic attitude and morbid humor was something he definitely missed.

It was entertaining.

Seeing the teenage versions of his friends mucking about was just as fun as it had been before. Matt's quirky comments, Edd's all to bright personality and Tom's own personal brand of nihilistic attitude and morbid humor was something he definitely missed.

That said, Tord couldn't keep a certain sadness away from him when he found out that Asher still died when Tom was nine-years-old. From Tom and Matt's own personal testimonies, they had told him that the pineapple had died during a fishing trip that they had.

A bear with a shot gun killed him.

A stupid bear with a fucking shot gun had placed a bullet hole on the tropical fruit and somehow the still raven-haired teen couldn't stop himself being angry and mournful at the same time.

He was angry and mournful because he had lost someone again.

He had lost someone and this time it was his own son.

To think that he had now lost both his lover (and possibly fiancé) and his adoptive son, Tord couldn't stop himself from feeling as if fate was toying with him. With all the changes that he done he still had lost someone so dear to him.

Now, the whole underage drinking was now once again making sense. Thomas started drinking when they were fourteen and it looked like Tom also did that too. Both of them were using alcohol as a coping mechanism of sorts for the trauma they felt and what had happened.

As far as Tord remembers, Thomas told him how his father died in front of his eyes and he was angry with himself that he couldn't do anything about it. It was one of the reasons why he chose to drink. The other reason was that Thomas told him he was depressed. That instead of taking anti-depressant medications he decided that he'd rather have the bottle than the pills.

It was all now making sense and somehow, as much as Tord was glad to have that similar aspect of Tom again, he was still bothered to know what kind of pain the eyeless brunet was going through. It was why, as much as he tried to make sure things were right on tract as it were in his original life, the raven-haired teen was now gentler and caring towards the brunet.

Whenever Tom looked like he was in his depressive mood, Tord would easily enough reach out and allow the Brit to hold his hand or drape himself over him. When Tom was having difficulty with his classes, he'd let him borrow his notes and tutor the teen if it was necessary.

Nonetheless, it wasn't like any of their disagreements lessened. He'd still argue with Tom from time to time and whenever Tom made the first punch Tord would do his best to fight back. He would fight in a manner that he'd still always win but ensure the Brit would have minimal injuries. That way, the raven wouldn't be that guilty after their arguments.

Now back to the present, Tord smiled at how Edd, Matt and Tom were talking about some kind of band. Everybody at school was talking about it but the raven found no real reason to be so interested in them like the others did.

The band that was coming to their school wasn't even that famous; they were more of the B grade side of the limelight and only stood out here in local waters. Tord didn't find it in himself to even be delighted at their performance since he'd seen and heard better.

Even before he became the world's Emperor, the wealth that he had at his disposal was enough to get him VIP seats in whatever concert he would want to attend. He would watch whatever group or performer he liked and would sometimes even end up sleeping with them.

Celebrities weren't that new to him so this kind of event only had him yawning and focus on the music sheets in front of him instead. He was currently memorizing a new piano piece that he'd have to practice for since he'd already stepped into grade 6 piano level and the boys in front of him weren't doing any help to him as their voices were only getting louder in intensity.

Placing his face unto his arms, Tord was half tempted to sleep the remaining time of their lunch break when he felt a gentle hand brush against the nape of his neck. The said hand was rubbing on the said area as if it was trying to ease out the tiredness he was feeling and Tord smiled as he could naturally guess on whose hand did it belong to.

Angling his head to his right, green gem like eyes were able to see Tom rubbing his neck while having a stare off with both Matt and Edd. Edd more so if anything. Their faces were all set to a grim one and Tord definitely felt like what the trio had just finished arguing about was not about the stupid band that was coming over.

Tord sighed at their antics and murmured to the three that they better wake him five minutes before classes start. After all, they were about to have their Literature class later and he wasn't that interested to get a scolding from their boring Lit. teacher just because he was dying to get some sleep.

Closing his eyes, Tord allowed the buzz of the Cafeteria and the hushed tones of his friends lull him into sleep.

* * *

"You know, as much as black suits you, Tord, your silver hair looked a lot better," a sleepy voice commented which had the raven eyeing his companion and contemplating whether the other was still half asleep, drunk or joking with him.

That said, the teen with green gem like eyes sighed and remarked, "Well, you don't see me complaining that you're wearing all black when you look so much better wearing blue, Tom." His hand running through the brunet's hair as he was absent mindedly staring at a wall with their books and homework discarded around them.

"I thought you liked me wearing all that black," the eyeless teen supplied as he now opened his 'eyes' and looked at Tord. Tom wondered if the raven's back was aching for sitting so long since his head was still currently in the other's lap.

"I find black as a good color on you, Tom. That said, it doesn't seem to be like you. I mean, blue was more of your color like red was mine, green for Edd and lilac/violet for Matt. Blue became your signature color and somehow I miss having that color on you." Tord admitted as he now stared back at the voids looking at him and wondered if he should really continue being this nice to Tom.

After all, as much as Edd and Matt pretended that nothing was off, he could feel a certain wrongness when all the four of them were together and they'd have stare offs with Tom for periods of time. It was as if they were having silent arguments using their eyes and Tord honestly didn't like those moments. It was as if they were hiding something from him.

Giving a loud sigh and thumping his head against the wall, Tord was brought out of his thoughts when fight and guitar worn hands took his wrist and Tom began tracing his right hand. The way the brown-haired Brit was tracing his hand was so gentle and familiar that it had the raven wondering if it was just a coincidence that Thomas also liked to do that thing with his robotic hand as Tom liked to do so with his currently still human one.

"Classic stupid Tom," Tord unconsciously murmured with such warmth and care that the Brit in question didn't end up getting mad with the insult like he usually did. Instead, a smile found its way on the brunet's lips.

"Y'know, if you like me wearing blue that much, I don't mind wearing that color again," Tom confessed.

At those words, Tord simply smiled and shook his head.

"I'd rather you wear that color because you like it, Tom. Not because I find it great on you. Whatever clothes you wear should be by your own decision and not simply influenced by someone.

Besides, it wouldn't be good for me to dictate what you wear since your clothes shows your moods and personality. That, and we're not even in a relationship so that thing shouldn't be made by me. Leave that to you girlfriend or who ever is that intended to be."

"But I don't mind if it's you," Tom objected with such intensity that it had Tord baffled on why would the Brit give him such importance.

"You're an idiot," were the only words Tord could say as he couldn't fathom the reason why this sixteen-year-old version of his deceased subordinate was so keen about his wishes. So, closing his green gem like eyes, Tord decided that it wouldn't be that bad to have a little nap and just put aside this weird conversation of theirs.

The both of them could talk about fashion and colors at another time.


	38. Degree Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One year became two and so forth.
> 
> All three of Tord's friends had now graduated from high school and they were now talking about their career options.

One year became two and so forth.

All three of Tord's friends had now graduated from high school and they were now talking about their career options. Edd was saying that he'd want to take Digital Illustration and Animation; Matt was supposed to take Architecture since he'd inherit his parents' firm and there was Tom.

Back in his original timeline, Tord remembered how the Tom and Edd weren't able to go to College or University due to their financial situations. That out of the four of them only he and Matt were able to get their Bachelor degrees.

It wasn't a surprise that the cola addict would take Digital Illustration and Animation (or DIA) since the man was pretty good at in his old timeline. Matt wasn't also surprising since he also took Architecture previously. But what Tord wondered now was about Tom. What would the Brit take in this life?

Turning his eyes to the said man, the raven could notice how Tom was quiet and avoiding Edd and Matt's jabs. He'd only grunt at their words or throw a word or two before slumping back to his silent musings.

Which in turn made Tord all the more curious. He was curious about what decision would the brunet take and whether that decision would be of great help to him the long run. After all, there were only a few more years before he ends up living with the guys and his own preparations for war needed to coincide with his plans and what he currently had.

"Hey, Tord! What degree are you about to take?" Matt questioned as he draped an arm over his shoulders.

Leaning his body at the ginger, he declared with a smile, "I'm not going to take anything, Matt."

"What!? I can't believe that you're not going to Uni. with how smart you are," Edd blurted as he put down the cola can that he was drinking from.

Snorting at their assumptions, Tord could feel how the eyeless brunet was now watching him. Tom had his full attention on him and that made him smile teasingly at them.

"You already pointed it out that I'm smart, Edd. I don't need to pick a degree since I already have a few. I mean, what do you think did I exactly do in America?

I studied there for a few years to get an Academic acceleration and receive both my high school diploma and Bachelor's degree. Finished high school in one year and attended University the next four years. I graduated at the top of my class with the highest honors just to finish a quadruple major that felt like fucking hell."

"What the fuck!?" Edd and Matt shouted in disbelief while Tom simply looked at Tord with a questioning look.

Shaking his head, the raven simply left Edd's room and went towards the garden of the Gold estate. After all, Tord knew that Tom would soon follow him so he went at a sedate pace as he admired how the arrangement of the area was made.

And not a few moments later, a familiar voice asked out, "If you already finished your studies in the U.S then why did you decide to 'attend' high school with us, Commie?"

Not bothering to look at the eyeless Brit, the raven admitted, "Can't I just want to spend time with my friends, Jehovah?

I mean, I know that I was terrible to leave without even saying goodbye to you guys. That, and I haven't called, E-mailed or contacted you during those years that I was gone. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that I haven't missed the three of you nor did it mean that I stopped caring about you."

"But, wasn't 'it' boring staying with us all these years?"

"Hmm...If you were talking about the classes, teachers and the rest of the students then yes it was. That being said, hanging out with the gang made things fun and entertaining for me," turning his green gem like eyes to look into Tom's dark voids, Tord continued, "Besides that, I missed you a lot so enduring a couple of years staying in the same classes as you wasn't that bad."

"You—You missed me!?" Tom stammered as he blushed which got the raven chuckling.

"Yeah, I did, Jehovah.

That matter aside, I can't understand why you call me Commie when I'm nowhere even near of being a Communist."

"You wear a lot of red and you wore that shirt with the hammer and sickle symbol during the camping trip our class had last year."

Frowning at the Brit's reasoning, Tord sighed and explained with an exhausted tone, "I'm not a Communist, Tom. Just because I like wearing red doesn't make me a follower of such twisted ideals. That, and the shirt that I wore wasn't even mine. You do know that it belonged to one of our upper classmen who was nice enough to let me borrow their clothes since Matt and Edd decided it was funny to throw my luggage into the lake."

The shame that came to Tom's face was quite rather apparent. It seemed like the eyeless teen was starting to realize his mistake so Tord took pity on the male and decided that he might as well let Tom call him that nickname again since Thomas did that too in his own timeline.

"Look, it's fine if you want to call me 'Commie.' But as an exchange, you have to tell me what kind of course you're going to take for College. I mean, Edd and Matt had been gushing about their chosen paths for a couple of months now. You're the only one left who haven't said anything."

"...."

"Tom?"

"My mom and the rest of my relatives want me to take Business Management so I can help Edd when he inherits the company. After all, with Edd taking DIA they said it would be great if someone from the family knows how to run the company." The brunet complained as he now paced around the garden while he fetched his flask from his blue hoodie's pocket.

Tord blinked his eyes as he processed the brunet's words. Edd's parents and Tom's mom wanted to make Tom choose a career path that he didn't even want!? The thought of such angered him so and for some reason the raven felt his magic stir uncontrollably beneath his skin.

His magic hadn't been this uncontrollable since Thomas died and now it was wanting to act out again for the sake of Tom. It wanted to lash out at the fact that Tom was unhappy with such a decision being made for him.

Swallowing back the anger that he felt, Tord forced his magic to calm down and reached out for the teen's hand that wasn't holding unto a flask. He reached out and not moments later Tom held it as he stood in front of the quiet raven.

"I know that my mom thinks that we should be grateful for what his elder brother's family was doing for us. That said, it isn't like she's not pulling her own weight at her job.

She's the head of the PR department of Golden Sun Food Corp., she works more hours than the rest of the employees and she's hardly even there when I need her. She's already giving as much as she could to the family company and yet she also wants me to dedicate myself to that kind of work."

"And you don't like that kind of work, don't you, Tom?"

"No, I don't."

"Then what career path do you want to take? Maybe I can help you?

I mean, you do know about my family. My father might be able to persuade your mom to let you decide things on your own."

"I don't know, Tord. I don't know." Tom murmured as he pulled the raven into an embrace and whispered to him what he truly wanted.


	39. Thomas and Tom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the other to push him away and to not heed his concerns was enough to remind him that this was not the man and would never be the man who stood by his side all those years during the war. It was reminding him that this was not his most loyal soldier and adoring lover.
> 
> This was not and would never be his Thomas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> To distinguish things, Tord now mainly refers to the first timeline Tom as Thomas or as "his Tom." Meanwhile, the Tom that he is with in the present timeline is simply refered to as Tom.
> 
> That is unless, Tord wants to goad the Brit or make a point....Present Tom would simply be known as Tom.

He was miserable.

Tord could pretty much tell that Tom was miserable with the way he was getting easily angered and drank more. That, and the eyeless Brit had now even become violent and was fine on hurting the raven during their arguments.

It was as if Tord was finding himself back with his Thomas. The man during his original timeline was like this during their supposed college years but it was for a different reason. That instead of being miserable that he wasn't able to get the chance to attend the University that he wanted due to financial reasons; Tom was now miserable because, as much as he was now attending the University that they (both the past Thomas and the current Tom) wished, he was taking a degree that he didn't even want.

That if Thomas had wanted to become an accountant like his father in the original time; in this timeline Tom wanted to be a Chemical Engineer like the pineapple. And yet, both versions of them weren't still able to get what they wanted.

Right at this moment, Tom was taking Business Management and it was making the Brit all the more miserable.

Objects were being broken and empty alcohol bottles were being thrown. Tord watched as the eyeless Brit was angrily trashing his room in the Gold Estate while Matt and Edd were playing video games somewhere in the large house.

Tord knew that he shouldn't interfere since the brunet himself had said two years ago before he entered University that he shouldn't do anything. But with the way how things were going the raven was thinking how things are getting out of hand.

He wanted nothing more but to calm Tom as he felt like he was seeing how Thomas Rodgewell was when he was at the last of his tether. It was just down right concerning.

He just wanted to see the younger twenty-year-old version of the man who loved him so much to be happy.

And yet, Tom was having none of his words.

Thomas Bloodfield was ignoring him.

"Tom...."

"Shut up."

"Tom, stop this right now because you would only get hurt."

"Shut the fuck up, Commie!" Tom screamed as he came forward and slammed a half full bottle of Smirnoff on the raven's head.

Tord blinked as the bottle's glass broke and alcohol poured unto his head. Touching the part where he could feel blood to gush out, his green gem like orbs closed as he sighed. Opening his eyes, he ignored the dull throb of pain he felt and the blood that was dripping down his face.

"I know that you're angry, Tom. That said, if you only allowed me to intervene and have my father talk to your mom—"

"And what!? You'd convince my mom and the rest of my relatives to change their mind? Heck, they'll probably kick me out if that talk happened."

"So, what if they kicked you out, Tom? If that happened because of my interference then I won't mind having you live with me.

After all, you do know how wealthy I am and that's not including yet the inheritance that I'll get from my father. So, I can pretty much provide for the both of us. That, and my father doesn't mind having you around the house."

At that, Tord felt himself being pushed to the wall and pinned as Tom snarled, "What do you mean by living with you and have you provide for the two of us!? How can you even say such words when you always say that we're not even together?

Didn't you always say that I should find some woman? Some other person? How can you even say those kinds of things!?"

Wondering at such questions, the owner of green gem like eyes was about to ask what Tom truly wanted to convey when the eyeless brunet punched his hand on the wall just beside Tord's head and a sickening crack was heard. Those gem green orbs then widened at the sound and a look of concern flitted into Tord's face. "Tom..."

"Shut up! Stop caring about me when we're not even in a relationship, Tord! Stop acting like I mean anything to you when I don't."

Then as if lightning struck, Tord understood that this was not Thomas. This person in front of him could never be his Thomas.

For the other to push him away and to not heed his concerns was enough to remind him that this was not the man and would never be the man who stood by his side all those years during the war. It was reminding him that this was not his most loyal soldier and adoring lover.

This was not and would never be his Thomas.

So, Tord allowed his anger to rise up and grasped the brunet's hand that pinned him to the wall. With his hand wrapped around the other's wrist, he snapped it and a loud cry of pain came from Tom as the Norwegian forced him to back off.

"Fine. If you don't want me to care for you as a friend then I don't mind being your enemy, Jehovah!

I only had the best intentions for you and yet you do nothing else but let your pride and stupidity get to you. You being miserable is your own choice.

You're just being your pathetic self. Same old classic stupid Tom." Tord growled out angrily.

"(1) Hvorfor kastet jeg bort tiden min på deg? (2) Jeg kunne ha gjort så mye mer og tilbringe tiden med andre viktigere mennesker." The raven scoffed and continued, "You know what?

I hope we don't ever meet again, Tom, because the next time we do we aren't going to be friends and I'll kill you with my own fucking hands since you don't like me caring."

Turning his back from the now pained eyeless Brit, Tord walked away and once again left his friends for the next couple of years.

* * *

**Translations:**

(1) **Hvorfor kastet jeg bort tiden min på deg?** [Norwegian] - Why did I waste my time on you?

(2) **Jeg kunne ha gjort så mye mer og tilbringe tiden med andre viktigere mennesker.** [Norwegian] - I could have done so much more and spent the time with other more important people.


	40. Testing Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claude speaks with his child and someone's patience is tested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING:
> 
> Claude refers to Tord as Athy (a shortened version of the Norwegian's second name in this story) and calls/considers the silvernette as his daughter.
> 
> For the readers, I hope you understand that I haven't used wrong nouns. Claude knows that his child is a boy. Hence, the use of he, his and him pronouns for Tord. But he still calls Tord as "daughter" and referred to him as a possible "mother" due to the positive psychological effect it has on the horned male.
> 
> It was already stated in one of the previous chapters that Tord ended up having a negative correlation to being refered to as Claude's son since he failed the man being such. Now, in the new timeline, the former Red Leader is trying to distance himself from his past mistakes and atone for what he has failed in by trying to be a good daughter that Claude wanted.
> 
> So, that's how and why the whole acceptance of Tord being refered to as such. It's also the reason why he ended up living somekind of double life. 
> 
> Tord acts like a girl when he's with his father, servants and a few other people. With his friends and the people the gang which they usually interact with, he acts similar to what he was in the first timeline.

Claude could feel the palpable thrumming of his daughter's magic. The way it rang out a thunderous threatening tune whenever it was allowed freedom told the blond enough.

Athy was angry.

His darling little princess and starlight was practically boiling with it and yet he wondered how the other was able to control it. He wondered how his child was able to hide it underneath his happy smile and bright aura.

Staring at the person in front of him, Claude took note how Athy had his hair now back to silver and waist length with his eyes now glowing while it had cat slits. He also took note on how his daughter's clothes were now more of black than red and how small sparks of dark purple and violet lightning would sometimes run on the younger Obelia's skin.

"You've been staring for a long time now, Papa," Athy commented as put down the tablet he was holding and leaned back on his chair.

"Your butler, Sebastian, told me how you're planning to stay in America for the next two years." Claude stated as he drank the cup of tea in his hand.

"You know how it is, Papa. As much as I made the Crescent Moon, Re:Life is my prized child. It was the one to send me to the top and have my name carved into history."

"Indeed, because of your creations you became known as the Father of Androids. Or should I rightly say its Mother?"

"Whatever between the two; I am known to be the 'God' or parent of such things. As inferior the ones that are being sold as compared to my personal creations, these androids are still of my making. They use my blueprints, code, and chemical concoctions.

Their blood, body and synthetic coded soul existed all because of me. So, I think spending my time back in America wouldn't be that bad."

The blonde then sighed as he stared at his child. "Aren't you worried of the main family?"

"I've been to America plenty of times already, Papa. I don't think that they could do anything anymore with the current amount of influence and power that I hold."

"But—"

"Papa, I know that you're worried. But please relax. I've done enough research on the main clan to know a whole lot about them. That, and if ever I were ever to do a third chance, I promise that I'll make them accept you." Tord declared as he gave a promising smile that seemed to be a bit broken.

"Wait, third chance?

Athy, no, Tord, what's going on?"

"There's nothing going on, Papa," the silvernette replied as he went back to the schematics he was making.

"No. Stop.

I want you to be truthful to me. Why do you think that you have to use a third try for this?" Claude gestured to around them and to themselves as he continued, "Does this involve the fall out that you had with the Bloodfield boy? Does your former fiancé not love you anymore or anything?"

"Look, Papa.

I understand your interest of wanting the best for me. But, me going to America or being open to a third try isn't because of Tom. I'm just being realistic and am considering all of my options.

My stay in U.S would be useful for me since it'll be help me get re-connected with the military networks that I have. That, and I could monitor how the country goes as the company further expands. After all, we're already seeing a few promising effects.

The country's employment and birth rates are going down. Their military sector is now even considering of using Androids instead of human soldiers which in the long run would be quite favorable for us. All I have to do now is convince them and the rest of the world that Androids would be the answer to a number of humanity's problems."

A thoughtful look then came to Claude's face as he regarded his child and sighed, "You plan to make them reliant towards your creations. Then, once they've become so dependent to their existence, you plan to use them to your advantage. You'd have the Androids turn their backs on them and serve you.

A seamless infiltration and a good way to take over a country with the least amount of bloodshed. That would definitely be an impressive way to show your power."

"I know. It's the reason why I'm going," Athy stated as he typed in a few codes and turned his eyes to his father.

"Fine. I won't say anything about you going back to America. That said, you should at least allow me to accompany you to the country. After all, it's been some time now since I last visited New York and took in its sights."

"I don't mind you staying with me in America, Papa. That being said, my targeted residence wouldn't be in New York. But instead, I'll stay close to where I started Re:Life, I'll be living in Detroit." The silvernette announced while observing his reactions.

"Detroit? Isn't that place a little..."

"Detroit may not be as good or bright as New York, Papa. But I found it as my home during the two years I stayed there to start the company. The people may be a bit difficult but the it's not that bad.

It's now even known as Android Central and the heart of Android production. So, my seat of influence and power there would be useful if you would want some policies and areas there to be changed."

Claude sighed loudly at his daughter's words. He understood what the boy meant. Nonetheless, that didn't make things any clearer for him why the silvernette was angry and was so open to the idea of repeating his life. It wasn't like a normal person would just be willing to redo their life for no good reason.

And...The only good reason he could understand that could possibly affect his offspring as such would involve Thomas Bloodfield. After all, that boy was the younger counterpart of his daughter's deceased fiancé. It was the only plausible reason that could make the silvernette so emotional.

"I understand. I'll stay in New York then and visit you in Detroit once in a while."

"You make it sound like I don't want you around," the other complained which had the blond shaking his head.

"I know that's not what you mean. It's just that with your words, I figured that it would be better for me to remain New York to have the main family's focus on me. That way, you could be as unrestrained as you need or wanted."

A frown then marred the younger man's face. "If you're so keen to staying there then I'll have a number of my people from the Crescent Moon act as your guards. I would have Sebastian arrange for you a specialized team to ensure that the main family wouldn't be able to touch you."

"I'm not going to die, darling. You already said it yourself before, I died when you were young to protect you. That assassination attempt had already come to pass so further security wouldn't be needed anymore," Claude reasoned before he heard the chair which the silvernette sat on fall heavily to ground with a loud 'Bang!'

"No!"

"My child—"

"Shut it!

I've already had it with you and your unnecessary questions. As much as I care for you, you do not simply go against my word! Particularly, my commands.

What I told you before about those of the Crescent Moon was not a suggestion. It was an order that you do not stray so much from your path without a guard! That, as much as I know that you are powerful, you do not understand the extent on which the rest of your own blood is willing to do to kill us. To kill you!"

Purple lightning then began to go out in waves around Tord as he walked towards his office's balcony doors while his short black sleeveless chiffon dress billowed out around him. "You don't understand how I watched you die as you fought with your all. (1) Du forstår ikke hvordan du, selv med all din magi, list og strategi, døde en smertefull og forferdelig død!

You can fight a squadron, a platoon and maybe a whole company if you were pushing it. But you can't fight a fucking battalion all by yourself! Your physical power and magic may be great. But that doesn't put out the fact that they could still easily kill you with their numbers!

Add in the fact that the main family isn't afraid to play dirty. From what I remember, they were even willing to use bombs and hostages to get what they wanted. Hell, they were even daring enough to stage the attack at your favored place in Central Park in the middle of broad daylight!" 

The seething silvernette then turned to the older Obelia as he glared at him with utmost ferocity and continued, "The number of human casualties and property damage they were willing to do just to kill you was testament enough to what extent they're willing to endanger the clan and those who wield magic like us.

(2) De bryr seg ikke om hva du tror, Claude. Derfor vil jeg at du hører på meg og slutter å være en så stolt idiot! I will not have you die again.

I will not have you die!

I have already lost my fiancé and my son.

I will not have you, my own father, die just because of his stupid pride."

Those green gem like eyes then began to glow in a higher intensity and its pupils became more pronounced slits as the purple lightning began tearing apart whatever was close to its owner's vicinity. With it, Claude's own magic was warning him to stay away; if not submit to the stronger power before him. It was warning him that if he did neither he would die.

But Claude knew his daughter enough.

His beloved little princess, Tord Athanasia Obelia, may be a real menace and terrible monster when it came to dealing with certain people. That said, the child was quite rather rational and wouldn't be the type to attack people with good no reason.

Claude knew he could reason with him. He felt like he still could.

Which was why, the cerulean gemmed eyed man ignored all the warnings his own magic and instincts were telling him. So, he came forward and walked towards the other.

But what the older Obelia didn't expect was that what he thought was wrong.

The owner of green gem like eyes simply smiled at him and a hand suddenly sprang out. A delicate red gloved hand was then around Claude's neck and was chocking the taller man. It was squeezing in a way that was hardly joking and was more of with the actual intent of harming.

"Why can't you just listen to me, Papa? Everything that I'm doing is simply for your and my friends' good. All I want is for those who I care for to be safe, alive and happy. Yet, why are you making things difficult for me?" Athy, no, Tord questioned with an oddly haunting tone in his voice.

The hand on the blonde's throat then got all the more tighter and Claude was starting to see his vision riddled with dark spots as he had trouble with breathing.

"I care for you, Papa. I can't lose you too.

So, you have to make do with my orders and follow them. Or else..."

"Or else, what?" He choked out as he tried to pry off his daughter's slender fingers and ignore the burning electricity that threatened to burn his skin.

Tord then leaned forward with his face marred by a mad look that was made more terrifying by his glowing cat slit eyes, "Or else I will kill you myself, Papa," the silvernette whispered with promise and continued, "I will kill you myself because you seem to be so interested in dying and that, since you are mine, it's my duty to decide on how I would end you.

I would make sure that you will die by my hand in a manner I see fit. And right now, you are testing my patience, Papa."

Claude then felt himself go weaker with the lack of oxygen in his lungs and those were the last words he heard before everything went to black.

* * *

**Translations:**

(1) **Du forstår ikke hvordan du, selv med all din magi, list og strategi, døde en smertefull og forferdelig død!** [Norwegian] - You don't understand how, even with all of your magic, cunning and strategy, you died a painful and terrible death!

(2) **De bryr seg ikke om hva du tror, Claude. Derfor vil jeg at du hører på meg og slutter å være en så stolt idiot!** [Norwegian] - They don't care of what you think, Claude. Which is why, I want you to listen to me and stop being such a prideful idiot!


	41. Taking Memory

* * *

Tord knew that what he did was out of hand.

Nonetheless, with the way his father was being stubborn, he knew that the man deserved it.

The blonde was challenging him of his authority and his capacity of making decisions.

He was formerly an Emperor and a great strategist. To have himself be undermined even if it was his own biological father was something he didn’t like.

Call him controlling but Tord raised himself up without any help in his first timeline. He didn’t need help now even if he usually played along with the older Obelia’s wishes.

Which was why, Tord was now currently debating in letting his father have his memory of last night retained or simply take it with an improved version of the memory gun he once made. Tord was looking at the blue metal gun that had an empty vial on it and wondered on the PROs and CONs of taking the elder’s memory when the door to his father’s room slammed open.

Cerulean gem like eyes were frantically searching something until it finally stopped on him. Tord was then both amused and saddened with what he saw in those wonderful orbs.

Fear was quite rather blatant in them before the blonde was able to hide it underneath a mask of impassiveness. That said, the younger man was able to notice how the other was still quite rather tensed. Claude was tensed and waiting for an attack of sorts.

Sighing at the reaction, Tord ran his hand on his horned silver hair and came closer to the tensed man. “I see that last night’s events had left a quite rather serious mark on you.”

Claude brought his own hand around his neck and winced when he touched the noticeable hand shaped bruise on it. “Why?”

“Why, what? Why did I do last night? Why did I choke you? Why do I consider you as mine? Why did I leave you alive?

Among those questions, which do you want to be answered?” The twenty-year-old questioned as he walked closer and reached out his hand to trace the bruise that he left behind.

The blonde took a deep breath at such an action and Tord frowned at how badly his father was reacting. With the way Claude was acting, the silvernette was all the more getting convinced that he should take last night’s incident from the man’s memory.

“Tord?”

“I’m sorry. But with the way things are now; even if I answer your questions, you’ll just forget about it.” Tord said as he gave a sad smile and tightened his hold on the older man’s neck. Again, Claude tried to struggle but soon enough he passed out due to the lack of oxygen.

The taller man then slumped in the horned male’s hold and the silvernette levitated the larger body inside the blonde’s room. With Claude now placed on his bed, he caressed the dark bruise on the man’s neck and muttered, “Mid Heal,” as white light flashed and the bruise disappeared.

Giving a loud sigh, he kissed his father’s forehead as a quiet apology and then pointed the memory gun at the blonde’s temple. Pressing the trigger, the empty vial was now filled with a red colored mist. Tord then produced a small paper plaque out of his pockets and with a flick of his hand the piece of paper had the date of the memory, its time and what the memory involved.

Tord then walked out of the room and was greeted with the face of a tall raven-haired man with red eyes in a butler outfit. Giving the labeled vial to the raven he instructed, “Sebastian, make sure to keep to keep my father’s memory in a safe place and where he can’t find it. I can’t have him fearing me when I still need him.”

“Of course, my lord,” the said man replied as he pocketed the vial and stated as they walked towards Tord’s room, “The preparations for your stay in America has already been finished. Now, all that is need are your orders.”

“Have the jet ready in an hour. I’ll just take a few things from my room and we’re both heading back to America. Then, have a few people from Crescent Moon’s Division 1 explain to my father that they would be serving as his guards when he decides to stay in the America.

The man would definitely need it since he’s used to going around in public gatherings and whatnot when he’s in the States. The way he acts all regal like some kind of king is just….”

“Just what, my lord?”

“Just make sure he remains alive and find some excuse for why I’m leaving so early,” Tord groaned before continuing, “The memory which I took was about last night’s attack and the event this morning. Which is why, he should remember about our discussion.

If he asks how he ended up in his bedroom without any memory of it, just make an excuse or something. Then, have those from Division 1 give me a detailed report about his reaction later on.”

“As you wish, my lord,” Sebastian replied as he bowed and walked away.

With Sebastian now nowhere in sight, Tord entered his room and slammed the door shut with a loud ‘Bang!’ The horned silvernette then leaned his body on the door and found himself sliding downwards as his vision began to blur.

Running his hands on his face, gem like green eyes were surprised to find fresh tears. He was crying. Tord found himself crying and he felt nothing else but regret and sadness.

His chest felt just too constricted and heavy. His breathing was now turning into erratic gulps of air and as Tord felt himself lose control he felt the brush of purple lightning brush against his skin. The purple colored lightning wrapped itself around him and the more it was outside; the Norwegian could feel as if his emotions were being replaced by emptiness.

His sadness and regret turned into a hollow familiar emptiness that Tord welcomed it. This then made his tears stop and gave him the strength to rise from his crumpled state. He then uttered, “Purification and Heal,” as he was engulfed by white light and his messed-up chiffon dress was cleaned while his swollen red eyes were turned back to normal.

Tord then took a deep breath and smiled at the purple lightning for putting him back together. Running his hands through the electric lights, he cooed as he closed eyes, “Thank you, Thomas.”


	42. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Staring at the yellow and red leaves that fell, he was brought out of his thoughts when Edd’s voice on the other end of the video call he had was calling his attention.

Tord was watching the autumn leaves fall at his home’s garden in Detroit with his horned hair short and silver while wearing a plain black t-shirt, a red jacket and denim pants accompanied by black sneakers. He was outside for snacks with his tablet full of code, plans and schematics discarded on the left side of the table and an open laptop at his front.

Staring at the yellow and red leaves that fell, he was brought out of his thoughts when Edd’s voice on the other end of the video call he had was calling his attention.

“Tord? Tord, are you okay?”

Blinking his gem green eyes at the brown eyed male on the screen in front of him, Tord smiled, “I’m fine, Edd. Just got sidetracked by how beautiful things are here in my side of the world.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, Edward. I’m sure,” he intoned as he drank his chocolatey beverage and now eyed the green hoodied male.

“You know, me and the guys miss you,” Edd shared as he also took a sip of his cola and leaned back on his chair.

“Indeed,” Tord dryly replied before asking, “How are your and the rest of the guys’ studies? Having any difficulties?”

“Well…There’s not much new for me and Matt. I mean, things are a bit difficult but we could handle them.”

“Tom?”

“About that,” Edd hesitated for a moment after which was followed by him clearing his throat as if it helped him, “Tom dropped out of Uni. and for the past few months we can’t contact him.”

Stilling at those words, Tord placed down the mug of chocolate he held and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How can you not contact him? I mean, don’t tell me that he ran away from your home or something.”

“Actually, it was more of his mom and him getting an argument. Aunt Ciara told him to stop living with us if he doesn’t want to finish his Business Management major. But, as much as my parents tried mediating and told Tom that it was fine if he wanted to transfer courses, Tom packed his bags and left.”

“So…After that, you can’t contact him anymore?”

“Umm…Yes?”

Now rubbing his temple, Tord took a deep breath and then expelled the air he collected. The silvernette then steepled his fingers as he leaned forward and inquired, “Have you guys tried filing for a missing person report to the police?”

“We did. I mean, I did a week ago.”

“And when did he exactly leave?”

“I guess it was about a month after he found out that you went back to America,” Edd confessed as he looked away from the camera.

Green gem like eyes then widened in surprise at the news and a frown now appeared at the Norwegian’s face. “I left during May and Tom left during June. You do realize that it’s September now and Tom had been gone for about nearly three months now!?”

“Look, I know you’re asking why I haven’t filed for the missing person report earlier. But you should consider how my family thought about things. If word went out that the nephew and adoptive son of the CEO of the Golden Sun Food Corp. was missing it’ll be a field day for my Dad and the company.

So, my parents and aunt Ciara thought it was better to have a trusted private aide than the police find Tom. That said, what we didn’t expect was that Tom was good in hiding. The detectives that we hired could find no trace of Tom and it’s starting to worry us that something serious must now have happened.”

“And that’s the reason why you just decided to report the incident last week and even tell me that Tom was now missing,” Tord quipped as he glared at Edd.

“Look, I’m sorry—”

“Shush you,” the silvernette snapped and inquired, “How is Matt handling Tom’s disappearance? Last I remembered, he ended up crying when he found out I was going back to America. Matt must be worried to have another of his friends gone.”

“About that…” the cola addict faltered.

Obvious anger then portrayed itself in Tord’s face as he snarled, “You better tell me the truth Edward fucking Gold or I swear to God or any other higher being out there that you’ll regret being alive if you lie to me!”

The loud sound of gulping could then be heard from the brown eyed man’s end and he stuttered, “We—well, I ended up telling Matt that Tom went on a vacation of sorts with a few of our 3rd cousins. That, and he’d be staying with them for a while until he gets back.”

“So, you basically lied to Matt,” Tord accused as he angrily shoveled a piece of his cake into his mouth.

“I—I’m sorry.”

Swallowing the sugary piece, the Norwegian retorted, “Enough. Don’t talk to me until were twenty-two. With the way you’re acting, Edd, I am definitely finding myself disappointed.”

“Wait, Tord, please…”

“Shut it. I’m serious here, Edd.

You better reflect about your mistakes during the time we aren’t going to talk because the next time you pull this kind of shit again, things wouldn’t end up good for you,” the silvernette ordered as he finished the video call and placed the both of his hands on his face.

“(1) For kjærligheten til ... Jeg håper at du er trygg, Tom,” Tord murmured as he ignored his now cooling chocolate drink and stared back at the falling Autumn leaves.

* * *

**Translations:**

**(1) For kjærligheten til ... Jeg håper at du er trygg, Tom** [Norwegian] - For the love of...I hope that you're safe, Tom.


	43. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like a miracle Tord finds Tom.

It had been a month now since Tord last spoke to Edd and had his own men, both of the Crescent Moon and Re: Life, search for Thomas Bloodfield’s whereabouts. That being said, the horned male was getting frustrated that they found nothing.

From hacked camera feeds to credit-card transactions, they couldn’t find anything on the eyeless Brit and Tord was getting frustrated with such results. He was so frustrated that the silvernette felt like he needed to see his father and cool down a bit with the presence of the older Obelia.

So here he was now.

He was in New York and had been staying for a week now in the blonde’s large three-floor penthouse. And so far, the new memory gun he made worked wonders since his father was back to spoiling him again which in turn was making Tord smile as he hasn’t lost his father’s love yet.

That said, Tord is still worried on what happened to Tom and he felt as if he couldn’t remain in the blonde’s home for long periods of time without going crazy. Which is why, he ended up going for walks in Central Park or visiting a couple of Catholic churches here and there that were near their house from time to time.

So yeah, that’s what he was currently doing as of the moment.

He was at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, wearing a black sleeveless blouse and a short grey skirt that’s covered by a red coat while wearing heeled black combat boots, and kneeling on a pew as he was praying for a miracle. He was praying that Tom would hopefully soon be found.

( **A/N:** This is how Tord looked like.)

Then as if on cue, Tord was startled out of his prayers when a gaggle of children were arguing over something. Curious, he turned his sight at the commotion and the silvernette felt as if he was drawn in to a person who had the sun’s afternoon light shining upon them.

Not far from all the noise, he caught sight of brown hair that was styled nicely and a blue denim stomach-length jacket that’s on top of a white shirt that’s paired with black pants and boots that was on a man that wore sunglasses. Something inside of him told the Norwegian that he should get closer to the man.

Tord then made up his mind as he ran his hand on his currently long hair that was still with horns and stood up to walk over the said person. The feeling he had as he came closer was becoming all too familiar.

“Tom?” He called out gently as to not embarrass himself if his guess was wrong when a blue clad hand pulled him into the other’s embrace.

“Tom!?” Tord squeaked this time as he stared directly at the other’s eyes that were hidden by the black sunglasses.

A soft chuckle then came from the brunet that was holding him and Tord was able see familiar black voids once the man took off those annoying sunglasses.

( **A/N:** This is how Tom looked like when Tord saw him.)

“Y’know, Commie, I couldn’t believe Edd when he once told me when he was drunk that you sometimes wore dresses. Like, I couldn’t imagine you acting and dressing so girly with the way you carry yourself most of the time.

That said, this look also certainly suits you. You’re beautiful wearing feminine clothes and handsome as you wear masculine ones.”

Tord simply smiled at the compliment and responded, “I understand that you want to flatter me, Tom. But, may I remind you that you should at least give me some appropriate distance since we’re in a Church.”

As such, the brunet eased his hold on him and simply placed his left arm around his waist. Tord then raised a brow at Tom and said man simply shook his head while the silvernette was pulled out of the Church and into the streets.

“I’m sorry and I missed you,” Tom confessed as they walked close to each other.

“So~~~You dropped out of College and ran away from your family for nearly four months just because you wanted to apologize and you missed me?” Tord may have asked with an incredulous tone. That said, the embarrassed blush that he got from the eyeless man was pretty interesting.

“I—Uh…. After you left that day we had that argument, I realized that what I did was wrong. I ended up pushing all of my anger and frustrations to you even if you never deserved all of that. So, I tried to contact you to apologize.

That said, no matter how much I called, texted and E-mailed you, you weren’t answering. Then, just four days after our fight, I went to your house and asked your servants if I could speak with you. But I was told that you didn’t want to see me.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, I know.

As such, I assumed that you were still mad at me for all the things that I did that night so I went back and tried to give you some time to cool off.

But just a month later, I found out from both Edd and Matt that you went back to America to handle some things. Which explains why you weren’t swinging over to any of our homes or usual hang outs.” Tom shared as black voids steadily stared at gem green.

“Okay…. Apology accepted, I guess.

I mean, you were a fucking bastard that night, Tom. But due to the fact that you were seriously drunk and pent up I’ll give you some leeway for that disaster. That being said, try to repeat that thing again and I’ll make sure to follow through my promise, Jehovah.”

* * *

Tord was glad now that he knew where Tom was.

To think that the Brit would be able to go unnoticed for so long just because of the diary Asher left behind. Tom must really have a high affinity for espionage and military work because a number of techniques he used to lose his trackers were things he simply taught himself when it was mentioned in his father’s diary.

That, and for the connections that he made for Asher to still exist and be used by Tom himself was something he was happy about. At least it told him that some of his precautions for the pineapple didn’t go to waste.

Eyeing the Brit that was now starting to fidget, Tord took Tom’s hand that was tapping on the table of a café that they were in. The Norwegian then noticed how the brunet froze for a second before relaxing and Tom was now smiling at him.

“Something on your mind?” Tord asked as he watched Tom drink his Cappuccino and the man looked away from him.

A sigh then could then be heard from the brunet and Tord patiently waited for Tom talk when the other placed his coffee cup down. “I—I don’t really know what to do now,” Tom admitted.

“What do you mean, Tom?”

Void were now directly staring at gem greens and the Brit now intertwined the fingers of their joined hands. “I’m saying that I don’t know what to do now that I found you. I mean, when I left the only thing that was on my mind was looking for you.

But now that you’re here I don’t….

I still don’t want to go back to England. I don’t want to deal with my family. I don’t want to go back to school either. So, now I don’t know what to do.”

Blinking his gem like green eyes, Tord reassuringly squeezed Tom’s hand. “I don’t know if you still remember my offer months ago,” turning his face away as he feels his face heat up due to a blush; Tord continued, “I mean, you could stay with me if you don’t want to go back.”

_“(1) Faen! Hvorfor jævla rødmer jeg til og med!? Why did I even say something like this to Tom? Now, the stupid idiot would probably laugh at me.”_

“Hey, Tord, look at me,” Tom entreated as the Brit pushed back a silver strand of hair away from his face. So, as much as he didn’t want to, Tord turned his face to look at the brunet and bit his lip.  
“Any weird jokes or rebuttals you want to say?” The silvernette asked as he tried to cool down his embarrassed face.

“Nah. I just want to see the full face of my Commie as he blushes,” the eyeless man remarked which had Tord sputtering, “Your Commie!? When did I ever become yours!?”

“Wasn’t your offer a proposal of sorts?” Tom questioned teasingly.

Frowning, Tord snapped, “Wipe that smug smirk off of your face, Jehovah! The thing I said was an offer I made as a friend. Not as a…Anyway, just shut it okay.

You’re such an insufferable git. I sometimes can’t even understand why I’m friends with you.”

“Oh, c’mon. You care about me, Tord. You like me. Can’t you just take a joke?” The eyeless brunet said with a smile on his face but somehow Tord could feel as if Tom wasn’t happy with his own words.

Taking a deep breath, the silvernette then decided to ignore the whole teasing as he now felt his blush disappear. He then took his hand from Tom’s grip and took a sip of his Mochaccino. “Fine. It’s a joke. That said, about my question….”

“Hell yes! Thinking about it, I think I might be luckiest in our group since I’d be the one to live with you. You didn’t offer that to Edd and Matt.”

“Seriously, you bring Edd and Matt up on a moment like this?” Tord groaned.

“I’m just saying, that’s all.”

Shaking his head, Tord now finished his drink and stood up since Tom was also already finished with his coffee. “Why don’t we get your things since you’ll be now staying with me?” 

The silvernette gestured towards the door and walked out of the establishment. Tom then followed out with a smile on a face.

“I’m so glad that I’m with you again, Tord,” the Brit whispered before he ran forward, held Tord’s hand and led the Norwegian to hotel he was staying at.

* * *

**Translations:**

**(1) Faen! Hvorfor jævla rødmer jeg til og med!?** [Norwegian] - Fuck! Why the fuck am I even blushing!?


	44. Early Morning Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord and Claude have a chat about the presence of Tom.

* * *

It was two fucking AM in the morning and Tord was wearing nothing else but a light orange nightgown and black panties underneath it. He walked barefoot on the cold floor as he smoked his cigar and ignored the half-naked snoring Brit that was asleep on his bed.

Tom and he ended up heading back to Claude’s penthouse after their talk and retrieving the brunet’s things. With their arrival, the duo was surprised to find the Norwegian’s father sitting on the living room reading a book.

Claude being the person he was, after a short conversation with Tom alone, told the Brit that if wanted to stay the night or the couple weeks he was welcome.

That is of course, under a few conditions.

But with the way how Tom now slept on his bed, Tord knew that the brunet agreed to whatever his father asked him. Tom even looked mildly happy at the offer so the silvernette didn’t say anything when he wanted nothing more but to protest.

“You’re thinking so loudly, my dear,” Claude remarked as he held open the door to his daughter’s room.

Gem green eyes then blinked and Tord then placed down his cigar on an ash tray he has on a desk. “Why are you up so early, Papa?” He queried as he leaves the corner he was standing at and comes closer to the elder.

“I was checking on the both of you. I mean, as much as you trust him, I don’t.

I can’t have my only daughter sleeping with some guy.”

“Papa, that’s—” Tord couldn’t properly continue what he was saying without pausing a few seconds as he ended up laughing, “You do know that I—I’m not a virgin anymore. Besides, To—Tom and I aren’t even in a rela—tionship to end up sleeping together.”

“Indeed,” Claude remarked dryly as he crossed his arms and stated, “If you aren’t in a relationship with him nor do you have an interest with sleeping with him, then why did you allow him to sleep in your room?

You do know that there are three available guest rooms for him to stay in. So, I don’t get why you have to let him sleep in the same bed as you.”

Worried that Tom might wake up, Tord gestured for his father if they could take things outside. Which fortunately enough, the elder allowed and both light haired men then made out of the room and into the spacious modern white marbled kitchen that was now brightly lit.

“Papa, I’m serious about what I said. Tom and I aren’t in a relationship nor do I plan to have sex with him.” The silvernette declared as he headed for the fridge and took out a carton of milk and a box full of donuts that were cream filled and covered with confectionary sugar.

“He was formerly your fiancé, Athy. You can’t expect me to believe that nothing would happen,” the blonde pointed out as he took out glasses and placed them on the kitchen island.

“Thomas was the one who stood by my side all those years, Papa. He was the one courted me and told me that he loves me.

That said, I didn’t love him back. I don’t love him back and I plan to make him fall in love with somebody else. I mean, it’s the right thing to do since I have failed him.” Tord explained as he now watched his father sit beside him and pour the milk into the glasses.

Cerulean gem eyes met its green counterpart and Claude sighed. The older Obelia then pinched the bridge of his nose and countered, “You do realize that by having him close to you might probably have the opposite effect to your plans. That, and for him to always hold you so close; I fear that it’ll be you who will fall and not him.”

“That’s impossible. I’ve been with Thomas for nine years including the time that we were in an official relationship. During those times he held me more than enough and yet my heart did not beat for him nor did I feel the other signs which told me that I was in love with him.” The silvernette argued back before he bit onto the donut on his hand.

Again, Claude sighed and the blond finally decided that he might as well let his child do whatever he wanted since he knows that the horned silvernette would probably have plans of his own regarding this matter. Turning his eyes on the still eating person, he begrudgingly conceded, “Fine. Do what you want. That said, if you and him do ever get to the point that you are to be married, you have to inform me first.”

A vibrant red blush now came into Tord’s cheeks and the horned male had to pound his chest a few times to dislodge the donut that nearly went to his airways. “Seriously, Papa!?” Tord nearly screamed with how high his voice had become.

“I’m just saying things in advance and as precaution. After all, as your father, I want to be the one to know first when my daughter is about to get married and give you my blessings,” Claude defended as he laughed slightly at the adorable sight his daughter was making.

“Papa~~” Tord whined at utmost embarrassment for such words and yet the silvernette felt ease knowing that the older man now somewhat accepted his arrangements for Tom. That, even though Claude’s thoughts may not fully align with his in this matter, the man now letting things be and not asking question is a great relief for Tord.

Now, with that matter aside, Tord smiled at the blond and asked him how was his day. Father and child were now catching up during their early morning snack and allowed the relaxed pace of the starting day settle their usually busy minds.


	45. Change of Relationship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The change which Tom had wished for had finally come.

Thomas Bloodfield was happy.

It had been days now since he stayed with the Obelia family and found himself learning more about his usually quiet friend. Whenever, the four of them were altogether, it was always Matt and Edd who began the discussions and rarely did Tord start something with such great interest that involved something quirky and fun. That was why, Tom found it endearing to see the silvernette so relaxed and open with him.

Tord would usually go on about the new anime or manga he found in the internet or share of the few things he found interesting when they were alone together in Britain. But here?

Here in America, Tord was more than just being vocal. To be exact, the Brit was surprised on how vibrant and energetic the silvernette could be when he was in his moods. The devil horned male was basically so full of energy that sometimes Tom felt the high need to stop and catch his breath. Yet, he ignored such an urge because just when those thoughts would come, Tord would seemingly telepathically know about it and either halt or slow down his actions just so he could turn towards him with an encouraging yet questioning smile.

Tord would then ask him if he was okay and if he wanted to continue things. The silvernette would be so considerate of him that Tom felt, that if ever he really stated that he wanted things to stop, Tord would really do so.

It was just so heartwarming.

To see not only one side of the being he considered as his most special person; Tord’s reserved and caring yet very violent masculine persona/attitude and Tord’s bright, outgoing, caring and affectionate yet terrifying when pissed off or angry feminine side. It makes Tom feel honored to know this much about his Norwegian friend.

Now eyeing the sleeping man in his arms, Tom never felt more content as he held the horned silver haired man and brushed away some of the long stray strands of hair that Tord had on his face. Tord was just too beautiful like this; relaxed and wearing nothing else but his (Tom’s) black ‘stay safe’ shirt and his own black boxers. To have Tord be so willing and vulnerable in his embrace, the eyeless brunet could feel himself harden under the confines of his sweatpants and have the urge to at least taste the other man’s temptingly luscious lips.

Tom then internally berated and cursed himself for having such lewd thoughts of his friend. Tord was his sole friend that believed in him and, after his father died, Tord was the only one who was willing enough to listen to him and not judge. Biting the inside of his mouth, Tom reminded himself of this and forced his lower half to stand down.

He just had Tord in his life again. He doesn’t want lose him again when he was the only good thing left in his accursed pineapple-bowling ball hybrid existence. So, with as much as convincing and mental gymnastics he made, Tom finally got his erection down.

The eyeless brunet then sighed, “I do hope that in the coming years, my and Tord’s relationship would change. For us to remain like this, so close and yet so far…I wish—I wish that things would definitely change.”

Then, with the light of the moon from the large glass windows shining upon them, Tom finally closed his eyes and allowed sleep’s soothing embrace welcome him. After all, Tord had told him hours ago that they would have a busy day tomorrow with their trip back to Detroit. So, giving one last kiss on the silvernette’s cheek, Tom found himself knowing no more.

* * *

Two years soon flew by and Tom found himself liking the adventures and trips that he had with the Norwegian. Staying in New York, visiting Tord’s Alma Mater, living in Detroit, wine tasting in France, clothes shopping in Germany and Milan, listening to musical recitals in Austria and having first class package tours in Asia; Tom never knew he would come to like traveling so much.

Tord was able to show him a great deal of things and Tom found himself falling for the man. And yet, the eyeless brunet couldn’t bring himself to confess his feelings to Tord as that he knew the silvernette never saw him more than a friend.

That, as much they have already spent enough time with each other near naked and at times in very compromising positions, Tord would simply either laugh or smile things off. That, and the silvernette would continuously seek his pleasure and happiness in the embrace of other men. It was infuriating for Tom, to say the least, when he’d find the Norski in the arms of another man and proudly wearing love bites and bruises from their coupling.

It would make his chest ache when he’d see Tord kiss others and moan happily as he was being held as if he didn’t mind having his friend watching him. It was just too much for Tom that sometimes he’d try his best to distract himself with a few things and maybe a few flings.

With each man that came and held Tord in a sexual or romantic manner, Tom found himself delving into drinking and fucking any willing and available hole that there was. Whether male or female; Tom didn’t care who or what he was fucking (in his frustrations he even ended up fucking a sentient tree that had worn his suit).

With that being said, Tom couldn’t stop himself from sleeping together with Tord. Even when Tord didn’t climb unto his bed, he’d be the one to head to the Norwegian’s room and hold the sleeping man into his embrace.

He would hold Tord close and listen to the silvernette’s heartbeat. Tom would relish such moments and pray to Jehovah that things would hopefully change.

* * *

It was terrible.

For things to change in such an abrupt and decidedly horrible manner, Tom now understood why people usually said, _“Be careful for what you wish for.”_

Things have now really changed.

That with their return to England and Tord’s home there, Tom ended up ruining things and breaking his promise to Tord about pushing him away and hurting the silvernette. That with his anger, frustrations and jealousy Tom ended up telling Tord some really choice words and nearly stabbed the Norwegian’s stomach in his drunken fit.

He remembered how Tord became silent and looked as if he was about to cry as he repeatedly told the devil horned man that he (Tord) was a cruel and violent two-faced conniving slut that deserved no love since he didn’t even know about the very concept of it. He called Tord a monster for the empty and unemotional moments that the silvernette usually had and he also told the other how Tord would probably be the type of person who would be the cause of his own friends’ deaths since he was selfish and controlling.

Over and over, Tom shouted at Tord many things. Both derogatory and accusing in aspects as his own fucked up mind and emotions told him that he wanted Tord to hurt and hate him if he couldn’t get the Norwegian’s love.

He ended up going too far and crossed the line far more than what was necessary up to the point that Tord finally had enough. Tord had enough and the green gem eyed male had beaten his daylights out so seriously; that when Tom woke up, he was in a hospital in London with Edd and the rest of his family hovering around him.

Tord was mad at him.

With months now having passed since that incident, Tom couldn’t bring himself to tell anyone of his family where he had been. After all, when the sole person he stayed with all those times didn’t want to do anything with him anymore, things like sharing his experiences and happiness felt like he didn’t deserve any of those.

Tord had been so good to him and yet he ruined it.

He ruined it so badly that Tom was now scared.

Tom was scared that Tord would now ignore him for the rest of his life and he wouldn’t be able to see again the silvernette’s beautiful smiles and his usually hidden sides.

Tom was so scared, no, he was terrified for this new change and regretted ever having his wish of changing things with Tord. After all, with the new status quo that they now had, Tom felt like he just fell from heaven and into hell.

What was change when it brought him nothing else but pain?


	46. Anger and Obedience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord takes out his anger and he finds himself wanting the the obedience of his servants.

Tord knew that he should have stopped deluding himself a long time ago.

Just when Tom told him to go away the first time around; he shouldn’t have allowed the Brit back into his life and remained neutral with him as much as possible. With what has happened, Tord knew that his relationship with Tom would be something irredeemable.

The anger he felt for the Brit this timeline during such an age would be much worse than the anger he felt for Thomas during the same age in the previous timeline. His anger and hatred were far too real that Tord found himself falling further into his more violent and destructive bouts of magical accidents or emotionally influenced mana outbursts.

Things were now getting broken left and right. While at certain moments his chest would ache with guilt and sadness for some of the things that Tom said were true. He was the one to cause the deaths of his friends. He was cruel, violent and selfish. He ended up killing so many lives due to his whims and orders.

Tom was right in a sense.

And yet, the thing inside of him would boil over in fury. While his mind would be emotionally detached as it planned the numerous and various ways it could hurt the eyeless brunet up to the point that Tom himself would regret his very existence.

Tom was right to say he was a monster.

With him being a monster then he should be able to ignore Tom and hurt him when the need comes, right?

This person isn’t his Thomas.

This person would never be the Thomas who loved him with all his heart.

So, it wouldn’t be that bad to injure him and even make him rue the day that he was even born. He was just a monster and what he felt and thought these past few months had been a truth that he just kept hidden at the back of his mind.

Tom didn’t deserve him nor did he deserve Tom.

They would never be for each other so Tord finally made up his mind.

“Don’t worry, Tom. Since you said that you knew that I was monster, I might as well stop hiding under a façade and make your life a living hell in the future,” Tord threateningly promised and a burst of purple lightning flowed out of his body.

A sudden loud scream was then heard and a scorched corpse was now in front of the impassive face of the Norski. The body of Tom’s look-alike was now burnt to a crisp and Tord simply stared at it as his anger came down to a simmer.

Flexing his fingers, the purple arcs of lightning slowly diminished its presence until it disappeared. That said, the freezing ice that he was unwittingly spreading out was getting stronger. Tord then took a deep breath to control himself and ceased the ice from encasing the whole room.

“I see that your anger still hasn’t even decreased, my lord,” a masculine voice commented which got the silvernette turning to the speaker.

Black hair and amber eyes hidden behind silver rectangular glasses were a few of the notable features that this current servant of his had. Tall and handsome, Claudius Faust was an android he had made to be the perfect butler and servant. That said, compared to Sebastian, he likes the other raven more since the red eyed android was keener into following his wishes and commands in an above and beyond matter. That, and Sebastian wasn’t the type to comment on and question things unless absolutely necessary.

Sighing at Claudius’ remark, he walked past the taller man and simply instructed, “Dispose of the body and don’t let anyone near my laboratory. I’m going to be busy so don’t bother me with insignificant matters.”

“So, that means when Thomas Bloodfield is in grave danger or is dead, we shouldn’t bother you at all. Am I correct, my lord? After all, he is now no more but a mere pawn to you. You wou—”

“Shut up!” Tord interrupted as he now felt himself getting annoyed by the raven’s words, “Do as I say and keep quiet! As much as I have said that my relationship with Tom has now soured; that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t care if one of my friends ended up getting into serious danger.

The stupid bastard is still my friend and the rest of my friends would be heartbroken if he were gone. Therefore, I hope you do understand on where he lies on my significance scale, Claudius. Because if you didn’t, I would have to reset you and, if worst comes to worst, I would have you shut down and disposed of just like garbage.”

Gem green then stared directly at amber colored eyes and taller man bowed his head in submission. “My apologies, my lord. I have over looked your previous connection to him,” Claudius stated quietly which had the Norwegian frown at the display of weakness.

First, the comments, questions and unneeded attitude. And now this!?

Displeased at how the other was turning out to be, Tord decided that he might as well reset the android later and simply have it be reuploaded with important data. It seemed like the first batch of emotional learning and deviancy codes that he made was starting to show some qualities he didn’t like.

Tord then sighed once again and decidedly ignored the bowing android. “Just follow your orders, Claudius. Don’t do things that are beyond your level of authority or understanding,” he ordered as he walked away.

“I don’t need any defective or disobedient soldiers. You should remember that,” Tord warned one last time as he finally went out of the door and into the hallways.

* * *

It had been months now since Tord’s argument with Tom and yet the silvernette couldn’t help himself from feeling restless without the Brit by his side. For some reason, the absence he felt without the eyeless man by his side was starting to bother him.

That, and things were becoming stressful in his current work considering that he had all the models of the androids he made (Crescent Moon and Re: Life alike) that were given the emotional learning and deviancy code to reset and reprogramed. After all, he was starting to notice how those androids were showing more of their weaknesses with the newly added codes and he didn’t even like any of it.

True, the deviancy code made them more human. That said, what he needed are capable humans who knows when to show weakness and when not to. Not things which would defy him and question his authority but later on easily bow down to him.

He didn’t need spineless cowards.

Those kinds of people were just frustrating and Tord doesn’t want his creations to be like that. So, after that incident of his with Claudius, he had given an order to have all the androids that with the added code to be reset. And with it, the silvernette placed a better version of the deviancy code that would ensure their utmost loyalty to him.

That without Thomas by his side Tord felt that he needed someone or something that would give him the same amount, if not more, of the loyalty, adoration and love that the eyeless man had. He felt that he needed it and as pathetic it is to simply place such notions into his creations; Tord would rather have it that way than deal with another real human.

After all, he had already enough problems with dealing his family and friends. Why would Tord even want to add more of it from his subordinates? Both android and human alike; as long as they were under his employ, the silvernette would rather have them follow his command completely.

So, with such thoughts in his mind and the stress that was eating him away, Tord only found his decision to be natural and nothing wrong. He was just being more practical and efficient.

That’s what Tord told himself as he continued to distract himself with his work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> How was it?
> 
> Anger issues and the need to be in control aside, it seems like this portrayal of Tord that I have here in my story has a lot issues and baggage. Heck, if this portrayal of the Norwegian was remotely real then the said person would really need regular visits with the psychologist...LOL
> 
> That said, I kind of pity this version of Tord. I mean, true, he seems to be strong, in control and powerful. Nonetheless, that doesn't put out the fact that he seems to be broken. 
> 
> With the way he's being, if Tord was unloading all of his issues to his psychologist, then maybe his psychologist would also need a psychologist or two just for dealing with the Norski's issues. A thing like that happening would be very funny yet somehow sad and terrible to know......
> 
> Anyway, the next chapter would be about Tord meeting one of his other friends of the gang.


	47. Talking with Matt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord and Matt talk and the Norwegian finds out about something which he tries his best not to think about.

He missed this.

Tord missed his friends’ embrace.

For someone who’s said to be a monster, even in his original timeline, he always liked it when Edd, Matt or even Tom would hug him. The comforting pats or the happy high-fives were something he dearly cherished too. Heck, all of their interactions were something he treasured which was why his craving for physical affection in this timeline bled on to become something of him usually being just within an arm’s reach of his friends.

That was why, now that he was in the presence of Matt again wearing his usual masculine wear and short hair, he didn’t protest when the ginger hugged him and pulled him unto the taller man’s lap. Matt was even now basically nuzzling his exposed neck but Tord didn’t pull away.

He didn’t pull away because he felt like he needed to ground himself that Matt was now by his side again. That, as much as he couldn’t have Thomas back, Tord hoped that he could save the relationship he has with the ginger even until the war ends. He wants to have both Edd and Matt by his side and he knows that Tom would soon come after on his own if he knows that the other two are with him.

“I missed you so much,” Matt suddenly shared which got Tord turning his head to look at the ginger.

Smiling at the admission, Tord raised his hand and ran it through Matt’s soft red hair. “I’m sorry if I ended up gone again for the past two years,” he apologized.

“Nah, it’s okay. At least I’m lucky enough to get in contact with you regularly during that time period. I mean, Edd must have had it rough for you to refuse to speak with him during those times while Tom…Tom had his own problems and must have spoken to you about it.”

“Hmm…Well, you’re not exactly wrong about that. That being said, was what you said on the phone real?”

“About Edd proposing that we all live together now that we’re literally adults and we should go on crazy adventures?”

“Yeah, that.” Tord affirmed as breathed in Matt’s scent and found the familiar heavy smell of apples, strawberry and kiwi. The fruity mix was something he definitely missed because during and after the war, the silvernette had noticed how the ginger would simply have the scent of musk and gunpowder on him. So, to have this part of Matt again, is something he’s definitely glad about.

“I’m serious about it. Edd already told me about his plan and he wanted to speak to the four of us about it since we’d be looking for a place to live in. That, during the meeting we could set up a few rules and conditions while we’re at it.” Matt explained as he held the Norwegian in his arms closer.

“When’s the meet up supposed to happen?” The silvernette inquired because, last he remembered in the original timeline, Edd proposed something like this somewhere during October. That said, currently, it’s just mid-April which is why Tord was wondering on what sped up the move.

“About Monday next week if you’re not busy,” the blue-eyed man answered.

“Well, does Edd have any idea where he’s planning to have us live in? I mean, penthouses and apartments are nice. But…I would rather prefer that we’d have a house since it would give us the privacy we direly need,” Tord hinted.

“Hmm…” Matt hummed in absent minded agreement.

“Matt, are you listening?” Tord asked as he could sense that the ginger was being preoccupied by something else on his mind.

“Uh…Yes?”

Sighing at the taller man’s questioning tone, the silvernette looked at his companion and queried, “Come on, what’s bothering your mind? Spill it already.”

Matt sheepishly laughed at the Norwegian’s question and sighed, “I…I just like how you smell without any hints of Tom’s scent.”

“Wait, what? Like, what do you mean by ‘hints of Tom’s scent’?”

“Well...” The ginger tried to start as he looked away from the piercing gaze of gem-like green eyes as he explained, “You may not think much about it; but me and Edd like how you smell like Blue-lotus, green tea and cucumbers when all of us were younger. Now that you’ve started smoking your cigars, the cigar smoke isn’t that bad when mixed with your natural scent.

That said, the past few years, the both of us noticed how Tom’s pineapple and vodka scent seem to cling on to you lately. I mean, it isn’t that much of a surprise considering that he’s the one he usually gets to hug you or hold you in his arms. But, we kind of like it when doesn’t end up marking you up.”

Gem green then blinked a couple of times as Tord tried processing Matt’s words.

Edd and Matt didn’t like him having hints of Tom’s scent!? That’s something he never discovered before in his original time….

_“(1) Faen._

_Now that I remember it, Matt did say that he wanted Tom’s scent to be gone from me which was why he did try to scent mark me before. Heck, it’s even the reason why I ended up ordering the execution of the two idiots during that previous timeline._

_And now, in this current timeline, Matt is admitting this kind of thing!?_

_That’s just….”_

Tord then shook his head to get his thoughts straight and wondered by what they meant. It wasn’t like Thomas purposely left his scent all over him during the previous timeline nor did Tom do the same things in the present timeline.

 _“Like, both of those two eyeless idiots aren’t that barbaric enough to be all territorial or something. Heck, the two of them probably don’t even know what scent marking is,”_ the silvernette internally mused as he sighed.

“You know, I think we’ve veered too far from our main conversation,” reminded Tord as he wanted to stop thinking about such menial things since he’d rather not deal with any of his friends’ weird interests on how he smelled.

“Umm… Yeah,” Matt throatily chuckled and had Tord sighing again.

Having enough of the ginger’s actions, the gem green eyed male then removed himself from Matt’s hold and deposited himself at a chair just across the other. “Matt…”

“Okay. Okay.

So, you’d want to suggest to Edd that we go have a house?”

“Yes, that’s what I said.”

“But you do know how expensive real estate is in London? I mean, we could choose a ready-made house since it’ll be easier to handle. Nonetheless, the appeal of a house that we would have to make ourselves also has its merits,” Matt tried to reason.

“Look, how about you and the guys let me search for the land we could build our house on. I could buy the said land and handle the other things like construction and etc., Then, the four of us could just chip in the daily living necessities, maintenance and the place’s taxes.

I mean, for me it’ll be a win-win situation since I’ll have the three of you around and convince my dad and the rest of my servants that I’m not some anti-social creep that would rather spend his time in the labs all-year-round.”

“You mean, you’ll get us to look after you. That, and to make sure you have normal human interactions, so you wouldn’t be an uptight and snobby individual?” Matt teased as he grinned widely.

“When did I ever become uptight and snobby!?” Tord bit back.

“I don’t know, Tordy.

But sometimes, you do have that look like you feel you’re above everybody else. I mean, you don’t have that directed at us since you’re radiant and more open when around us. Heck, you even smile and laugh a lot due to our group’s shenanigans.

That said, when you turn your attention to anybody else, it’s like you think of them as dirt beneath your shoe. It’s like everything else is nothing more but a nuisance to you,” Matt answered as he tapped his hand on his lap.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Tord was getting what the ginger was pointing out. Nonetheless, it wasn’t like he would admit to the taller man how the only few things he really cared about are his family and friends. He couldn’t admit to Matt how everything else could go to hell as long as the people he cared for are fine. Like, that would open a large can of worms that he’d rather not be brought to light.

 _“(2)_ _Jeg kan ikke innrømme for dem at de var vennene mine i min originale tidslinje. (3) Jeg kunne heller ikke si at jeg er grunnen til at de tre av dem er døde der. "_

Chuckling at Matt’s words, Tord hid his unease at being read so well and reminded himself to be more careful. After all, as much as Matt in the near future would act as an egotistic narcissist, the ginger is quite rather smart and observant.

To be precise, it was because of this (coming second after Thomas) Matt was someone he somewhat considered as a competent adversary during the war. That, unlike Edd who allowed his emotions to take over him, Matt was more of a controlled person who did well with strategies. It was why Matt was known as the Purple Leader when he was by his side and even until the ginger betrayed him.

Mathew was brilliant and it looked like this younger version of the blue-eyed man was the same.

“What you’re saying is nonsense, Matt. I just treat people according to how they treat me. I’m not uptight nor am I snobby. I’m just the way I am with them since they’re the ones to first treat and label me as something,” Tord declared as he leaned back on his chair and quirked his lips in amusement.

“Oh, okay,” Matt conceded with a curious look and joked, “Well then, it means that to make sure you treat us well, we’d have to butter you up nicely then.”

Snorting at the blue-eyed man’s antics, Tord allowed other topics flow in their conversation and the two friends then spent their time talking about whatever it was that came into their minds.

* * *

**Language Translations:**

**_(1) Faen_** [Norwegian] – Fuck

 ** _(2) Jeg kan ikke innrømme for dem at de var vennene mine i min originale tidslinje._** [Norwegian] - I can't admit to them that they were my friends in my original timeline.

 ** _(3) Jeg kunne heller ikke si at jeg er grunnen til at de tre av dem er døde der._** [Norwegian] - I also couldn't say that I was the reason why the three of them died there.


	48. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang moves into the house which Tord had paid to be made in 27 Durdam Lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the features of the new house is would be based on the video below. That said, there would be changes that could be seen on the floor plan that I'm going to post.
> 
> And yeah, ignore the address that was said in the video and which propert was selling it. The gang's address would still be in 27 Durdam Lane and behind the house still is grass. 
> 
> The furnishings of the house would basically follow what's shown in the video. Just imagine that Tom and Edd's room are still have blue colored walls and Matt's is violet/lilac colored walls. Tord's room would follow how the master bedroom is in color theme.
> 
> And....Maybe I'll post the underground levels floor plan later.

[The video that the house was mostly based on.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvUqgEyKe7w&list=PLE6mGPknj5hQoSnzOkeJigf5Bh00PQAdO&index=6&t=0s)

The floor plan would show what were changed from the video.

* * *

Watching Matt, Edd and Tom talking was entertaining.

That, as much Tord did his best to ignore the eyeless Brit, with the four of them all together now like this he couldn’t stop the smile that was forcing to show itself on his face. He couldn’t help reminiscing of those times during which he hung out with the guys and just focused on the moment like in the original timeline.

Sighing at where his thoughts were going, Tord ran his hand through his short devil horned silver hair and observed how the boys liked the house he bought. He watched as Matt, Edd and Tom were checking out the spacious living and noticed how the three idiots seemed to be happy about the 60-inch flat screen smart TV that’s mounted on the wall and the latest gaming console that was available.

“Oh my God! This house looks so amazing,” Edd exclaimed as he plopped himself down on the large white leather sofa while Matt and Tom were busy trying the game consoles.

Coming close to the darker brunet, Tord began petting Edd’s hair and remarked, “If this is your reaction to the living room, I wonder how would you guys react to the rest of the house. I mean, the yard has a swimming pool with a nice patio and this house has 2 upper floors and 3 underground floors that uses both an elevator and the stairs.

The upper floors have about 4 double bedrooms with walk-in closets and en-suite bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, 2 laundry rooms, 2 spacious living rooms, a master bedroom with its own grand bathroom, walk-in closet and morning bar, an office/library a music room, a club room that has a bar, a walk-in pantry and an inside and outside kitchen and a garage that could house 4 cars.

The first underground level is connected to the garage upstairs and could house an additional 4 cars via an elevator type system. The first underground level also houses a much more comprehensive wine cellar and some empty rooms that you guys could decide on what to do later on. Meanwhile, the second underground floor contains a gym/fitness room, a shooting range and a training room.”

“Wait, Tord, didn’t you say that there are 3 underground floors? Why did you only talk about 2 floors?” Matt questioned as he stared at the silvernette.

“The third underground floor would contain my lab,” Tord answered as he stopped touching the Cola addict’s hair. “I mean, you guys do know my job, right? I’m a scientist/inventor and I need the space to do my job without any distractions.”

“But I thought that with your dad’s company you only need to attend meetings and sign a few things,” Edd piped in while the Norwegian simply leaned against the sofa and looked at the silent eyeless man.

Blinking his gem green eyes, Tord waited for some kind of remark from the blue hoodied brunet but to his disappointment none came. Turning his head to look at Edd then Matt, he articulated, “My job isn’t just about attending meetings and signing papers. I mean, we’ve been friends for so long now that I can’t believe that you guys forgot that I have more than one company to worry about.

My dad’s weapon manufacturing business isn’t the only thing I handle. Heck, even that sector needs me, as much they already have their own R & D Department, to deal with a few things and invent or improve things from time to time.”

“Basically, it means that the Commie doesn’t want us to bother his work when he’s at his lab,” Tom had finally spoken and there was an odd look on the eyeless man’s face that Tord wondered what was the alcoholic Brit planning.

“Hmm…Well, Tom’s got a point. That said, you could access me if there’s something important,” Tord stated and stared back at black voids.

Shaking his head, Tord then turned his back on his friends and gestured, “Come on, guys. We should finish this house tour so you can pick your rooms. That, and I can finally relax afterwards.”

With that, the trio now followed the silvernette and continued the house tour.

* * *

It was now night and Tord was amused on how energetic most of the guys were after the whole house tour. Edd and Matt were poking things left and right while asking questions here and there. That, and an argument among the three broke out on which person would get which room that lasted a couple of hours.

That said, for the silvernette, he didn’t really get why would the three of them have to argue when it was so obvious which person would get which room. With the way the how each room was already personalized, it was kind of stupid for them to want anything else.

The room of the three had the same colorations of that as from Tord’s original timeline, and with remembering every detail of the trio’s bedrooms via his eidetic memory, the silvernette had been nearly tempted to just copy the design of it all unto the house. That being the case, when he brought out the sketches of those to the architect and interior designer of the house when it was being made, he was immediately shot down.

Matt’s own dad and the interior designer he (Tord) hired himself told him that if they followed his sketches the rooms would definitely look out of place. Which was why, as a compromise, they had promised to keep the color schemes of the rooms even if the direct appearance of it looked different.

That said, the house still turned out to look great and was easily enough accepted by the guys even if it weren’t how Tord remembered to look like. As such, the three were even already placing all of their things in their respective rooms. None of them even knowing that Tord had even kept some rooms unmentioned and kept secret.

That is until, someone annoying decided to bring it up.

At middle of the night and where Tord was deeply asleep, sprawled out--face down-- on his Alaska King sized bed wearing nothing else but a large red over-sized shirt and boxers, he felt all too familiar arms wrap around him and pull him close. The scent of pineapples, vodka and metal then filled his nose and gem-like green eyes were forced to open.

“(1) Hva faen, Tom !?” Tord groggily growled out as he slapped what he hoped to be the Brit’s annoying face.

A loud ‘Thwak’ was then heard and the silvernette was pleased to know that there was now a glaring red hand mark on the eyeless man’s left cheek. Nonetheless, it vexed the Norwegian that Tom hardly reacted aside from clenching his jaw and tightening his hold on him.

“Look, Tord, I’m sorry—”

Hearing such words, the gem green eyed man now felt himself fully awake and interjected with so much ferocity, “I don’t care about your apologies, Tom. You’ve hurt me more than enough and you should be thankful that I haven’t killed you yet.

Therefore, get the bloody fuck away from me and leave my god damned room you freaking creep! I don’t want to be close to you after everything that you did. Nor do I want to hear your apologies. After all, you’re nothing more but a liar!”

“Tord, please—”

Tord then forced himself out the brunet’s grip and hurled the fucking intruder out of his enormous bed. A pained groan was then heard but the Norski hardly gave a damn as he glared down the eyeless man.

“Get out of my room, Tom,” he commanded.

“I know about the fourth underground floor. I know that that’s where you keep your secret lab,” Tom divulged as he stared back provokingly at gem-like greens.

“Are you threatening me, Bloodfield?” Tord asked in a challenging manner and gave a shark-like grin showing a lot of teeth as he felt his pearly whites become sharper.

“Threat!? I’m just saying I know about your secret rooms. I mean, you should really ask your butler, Sebastian, to not tell me things if you still consider me as your enemy.” Tom remarked as he stepped closer.

Stilling at the other’s words, Tord felt the urge to strangle someone. That being either Sebastian or the idiot in front of him didn’t matter. Nonetheless, he tamped down his urge and clenched his fists on the bed’s thick blankets.

“Fuck off!” He stubbornly stated as he pulled the blankets over his exposed thighs. Tom merely gave him an uncaring look that had the Norwegian grimacing and looking away in irritation.

“Why are you being so stubborn, Tord?” The Brit asked as if the silvernette’s attitude was the problem.

Turning to black voids, Tord pulled the stupid bastard that was now an arm’s reach away from him and sucker punched the idiot. Not stopping at that, the devil horned man then gave more punches as the Tom began to fight back.

The duo’s conversation then became an all-out brawl as the two sides now didn’t hold anything back. Punches going hard and necks being choked, a winner finally came out after their long fight.

Tord was now perched on top Tom’s stomach, his hands wrapped around the Brit’s throat as Tom’s own hands wrapped around the Norski’s neck. That said, the brunet’s grip was the one to loosen and let go. Following that, Tom’s struggling was becoming easier to handle over time.

The silvernette then eased his grip as he allowed the eyeless man the reprieve of breathing and gave a warning squeeze to remind the other his position. Tom wheezed and panted as he tried to get his breathing as normal as he could in his position and glared at the person above him.

“You’re an idiot if you think that things would go back as how it used to be just because you apologized, Bloodfield.”

“Look, I was drunk,” Tom rebutted but Tord wouldn’t have any of it.

“Drunk!? Is that the excuse you’re going with!?” The owner of gem-like green eyes raged and continued, “I have had more than enough of your drunken rampages, Tom. And do you know what have I learned!? I know that you’re more honest about your feelings when you're drunk. That what you say out of your mouth is what you really think about and nothing’s going to change that.

So, if we’re going to be living with each other with the next few years, I’d rather you stay as fucking far away from me. I want you to drop this stupid friendly façade that you have because we both know that that’s not true.”

“Tord….”

“You’re liar, Tom. So, get the fuck away from me and stop pretending that you care,” the silvernette bit out as he finally released the Brit out of his hold and went as far away from the other while still being in his enormous bed.

Black voids meeting angry gem green, the eyeless man then walked away with an unhappy look on his face.


	49. Annoying Tom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord gets annoyed by Tom.

It was irritating.

As much as Tord avoided interacting with the Brit; the eyeless man would always find a way to bother him. That, as much as he wasn’t doing anything that should warrant the other’s attention, Tom would always try to make a big deal of it. Hence, more than a number of times, the two of them would end up fighting and Edd had to mediate because the injuries that they were inflicting on each other was becoming worse severity.

It was another usual annoying day in a nicely done white painted house that’s resided by four men.

Tord sighed at the fact that Tom was able to break his nose and gave the brunet one last punch in the face before he stood up. Walking away from the other, he murmured, “Purification and Mid Heal,” the blood and the rest of his own injuries then disappeared as if nothing happened and the stains of the scuffle was even taken care of. 

The silvernette then stretched his back as the brunet was now crumpled on the ground and groaning in pain. Tord simply ignored Tom and went to the kitchen to take a can of Cola. He was then able to notice how their food in the fridge was now lacking a few essential items so he checked in on the pantry and took note what to buy the next time he went grocery shopping.

“You really like acting like a bastard,” Tom had panted out as he stood while leaning at the kitchen’s entrance.

“Fuck off, Jehovah. I don’t want to hear your commentaries when you’re the one who punched me first,” the Norwegian remarked as he walked out of the walk-in pantry and closed its door.

“I just fucking asked you if you really bought the entirety of Durdam Lane. Then, you were the one who went on a spiel that its none of my fucking business and you were making some good money out of its development so I shouldn’t worry myself about the possibility of losses.”

“And not moments later you punched me,” Tord dryly stated as a glare found its way in his eyes as he looked at a clearly rumpled brunet.

“I—”

“Look. I don’t know why you think that what you’re doing would bring us back together. That said, it’s really getting annoying. Stop it already.

I mean, can’t you focus yourself on other endeavors? Like Susan and music? Or get a job? A girlfriend/boyfriend? Heck, a fuckbuddy would do if it gets you off my back.” Tord tried to reason and for some weird reason the silvernette found himself being pushed back and pinned unto the fridge.

With blood dripping down his face, Tom had done a ***** Ryoutedon and for some other weird reason that Tord felt his face heating up as an old memory sprung up from his mind.

* * *

It was just a few days since Tord had ended up sleeping with Thomas Rodgewell and he couldn’t understand why did he allow the annoying Brit to touch him. The silvernette couldn’t understand why he even allowed him Thomas to fuck him in such a way that made him feel so….weird.

True, he slept both with men and women. But, as years passed on, Tord found himself preferring men more and getting fucked much more appealing and sexually gratifying. Heck, at a certain point, he then knew that the only way to satisfy fully him now was being with a guy and getting fucked so well. That said, with the multiple partners that he had, it was the first time he felt that strongly during sex that he ended up freaking out and had to have Tom reassure him.

So, here he was now.

Tord was avoiding the visor wearing brunet as much as possible and making any plausible excuses just to have the reason to leave the room when Tom was around. He was doing such for days now and Tord felt like his control was slowly getting together again.

That said, as he was walking down the hallways of the base, the silvernette was surprised to find himself being pulled to somewhere dark and pinned by someone. This someone had the scent of pineapples and the faint touch of vodka and metal that had Tord immediately recognizing who it was.

“Thomas, let me go,” the Norwegian ordered and yet it was easily dismissed as Thomas chose to kiss him.

The kiss was deep and sensual and more about the brunet sucking on his tongue which got the Norski feeling light headed as their kiss continued. Tord’s knees were starting to feel like jelly and when he felt his feet buckle Thomas easily held him up with arm around his waist.

The lights then came on as the Brit’s visor showed itself to glow green on its screen and Thomas pulled away enough that the two of them could catch their breaths but still be in each other’s arms. Tord was startled to find the brunet looking at him so intently that the insult that he was going to throw the other’s way was swallowed down.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Thomas asked as a serious look was on his face and his 8-bit eyes were furrowed with concentration.

Tord closed his eyes and turned his face away as he forced himself to reply, “I’ve been busy, Thomas.”

“Busy!? More like you’re busy running away from me!”

“Thomas—”

“No. Tell me what did I do wrong? What do I have to change just to be by your side again?” The Brit’s pleading tone had the silvernette tempted to look at Thomas face. That said, he stopped himself and answered, “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then why!?”

“I—Last time…I never felt that way before,” Tord weakly supplied as shame seemingly creeped up on him.

Thomas was quiet for a few minutes like that when he suddenly sighed and the silvernette felt a hand grasp his chin. “Open your eyes and look at me, Tord,” the visored man entreated as he turned the eye patched man’s face towards him.

A gem-like green eye then hesitantly opened and Tord found Thomas having a gentle smile on his face as a thumb was softly caressing his chin. “Tom?”

“Have I never given you this kind of pleasure before?”

A frown made its way on the devil horned man’s face as he retorted, “We were never together, Tom! We just used to be friends that later on became enemies.”

Sudden realization seemed to come up on Thomas’ face as he stood stock still for a few seconds before he pulled Tord closer into his embrace. “You weren’t lying,” he emotionlessly stated as cogs seem to turn in his head.

“I wasn’t.”

“Fuck!” Thomas exclaimed as he gave a searching look on the Norwegian’s face and found the other to have a blank look that was betrayed by a soft blush.

“Yeah, that.”

“I’m sorry. I was too way over in my head,” the Brit apologized sheepishly as he released Tord from his embrace and placed the other in a ***** ryoutedon.

“Tom?”

Tord saw how Thomas’ expression was exchanged with a calmer controlled one that spoke seriousness. Blinking his gem green eye, what Tord didn’t expect was the brunet to say, “I’m sorry. Can we try to start again?”

Honestly, Tord wanted to say ‘No’ at such a request and deny the annoying man of the forgiveness that he wanted. Nonetheless, a part of him wanted to feel again what he felt at that time.

The sensation of being held so closely and feeling secure as he was thoroughly being taken apart. The knowledge that a person was willing to stay with him and possibly give him the same pleasure again was all too appealing.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Tord finally made up his mind.

“Fine. We can start over again,” he articulated before Thomas gave a big pleased grin.

* * *

“Tord?”

“Tord!?” A younger version of Thomas all but screamed right in front of the silvernette’s face as he owlishly blinked his green gem-like eyes.

“Thomas?” Tord asked in a dazed and disoriented manner as he brought a warm hand to the Brit’s face and wondered where was the other’s visor.

“Seriously—”

“Where’s your visor?”

“What visor? I never wore a visor before, Tord,” the Brit replied with a curious look and Tord was suddenly reminded where he truly was and that the man in front of him wasn’t Thomas. This person wasn’t his Thomas.

Shakily taking a deep breath, Tord said, “Let me go, Tom.”

“But—”

“Please,” the silvernette quietly pleaded that had the blue hoodied man in front of him back away and give him space with a puzzled expression on his face.

Forgetting his dropped can of Cola, Tord ran to his room and locked down the door as he fought to keep his break down to a minimum.

That said, he failed and the silvernette found himself sobbing again because of Thomas. The mere memory of him and the loss that he felt that came with his death; it was jarringly still affecting him.

His classic stupid Tom….

Even until his death, Thomas was really annoying him.

* * *

**End Notes:**

***** _ **ryoutedon -**_ A type of _kabedon_ where the person/ guy places "both hands," on the wall or any other flat surface that can serve as a wall, as opposed to just a "one hand."

The picture below is an example of what a **Ryoutedon** looks like.


	50. Differences in the Timelines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tord notices differences in the two timelines that didn't have any of his involvement.

It was another day and for the past few weeks Tom had been slightly distancing himself from him. The annoying bastard would still trouble Tord from time to time and give gibes here and there. That said, Tord found Tom to be considerate this time around.

They just had a weird adventure yesterday that involved the two new neighbors that they had on 29 Durdam lane. Well, it was more like Edd was being an idiot and chasing after one of its inhabitants, Keira.

It was pretty weird because last that Tord remembered there were supposed to be two bimbo blondes in 29 Durdam lane and not a blonde and a raven. Like, it was supposed to be a Katya and Kim there but now a Keira and Katline lived in that place.

That, and Edd embarrassed himself by unknowingly getting some kind of cursed plant as a gift for the aforementioned blonde, Keira. The said thing would make people vomit to high heavens when you drink Cola in its presence and try to eat you as it becomes a large 10-foot plant monster.

In short, it was a weird shit show that got the four of the gang running for their lives and into the more crowded parts of the city while the two women high tailed back into their home. Tord was then forced to use some of his military skills and pull out a small portable flamethrower and shoot it ablaze a few times as a distraction. Not far behind him, Tom had hijacked a truck full of literal bricks and dumped it on the creature.

In the end, with their teamwork and Matt’s added help of dropping a whole large pack of gunpowder that he got from them running through some vintage gun shop, the plant monster finally died as it exploded. The three of them ended up being exhausted but it wasn’t like how Edd was horribly doing since he was still continuously vomiting.

Out of the three of them that were okay; only Tord had enough medical knowledge since fighting for years in the army and being a scientist of different sorts forced him to study enough about medicine up to the point that he could do serious surgery. Heck, with the years he served as an Emperor he was able to sneak in learning a medical degree and get his own license.

That was why, as unlicensed he was in the current moment, he was the only one qualified to properly nurse the Cola addict back to health as Edd’s electrolyte imbalance was seriously affecting the brown eyed brunet. Edd was trembling badly along with his muscle weakness and the man was pretty much disoriented most the time that had Tord worried.

So, with getting a few equipment out of his lab, the silvernette had an advanced health monitor placed in Edd’s room along with an IV drip that needs to be replaced every few hours. Matt and Tom were pretty much bystanders at this point so he had them sent out and handle the rest of the house chores if there were any.

That said, what he didn’t expect was for Tom and Matt nearly burn the kitchen down.

It was pretty much already close to dinner time and it was understandable to be hungry. But what Tord couldn’t understand was how both of them could have burnt water and made a hole on a large casserole pot. Like, this was just surprising since from his knowledge in his previous life, Tom at least knew how to cook while Matt preferred to eat cold/frozen food when no one was around to cook.

Eyeing the two of them march out and now without sight of the kitchen, Tord gave a small wave with his hand and internally muttered a ‘Restore Area’ spell. Then, immediately enough all traces of destruction looked like nothing happened.

He then called the two back in and crossed his arms after putting on an apron.

“What the fuck was that!?” Tord fumed as he now glared down the two quiet men.

“We were making Mac and cheese,” Matt sheepishly replied and the ginger turned to Tom to have the brunet continue, “I was getting both the Macaroni and cheese from the pantry when Matt suddenly screamed that the pot was on fire. Then you found us. So…That’s basically how things went.”

Tord sighed at the absurdity of the situation and massaged at his temples. His green gem-like eyes closed for a moment and opened to find the two were still quietly waiting for him to give some kind of scolding or punishment.

“(1) Faen. I know that for the past few days that I’ve been the one who cooked and dealt with our daily menu. That said, I never expected you guys to end up being this bad,” Tord grumbled as his hands were now on his hips and Tom looked downcast.

“We’re sorry,” both of them said in unison and had the Norwegian sighing again as it reminded him of his friends used to be in his original timeline.

“Fine, I forgive the two of you.

But as a punishment, you guys have to help me cook when I ask you to and learn a few things while at it. I mean, what if you guys ended up killing yourself when I’m not around? What would I do?” Tord complained as he opened the fridge and took out the ground beef from the freezer.

“What happened to the burnt areas?” Matt suddenly questioned after he and Tom agreed to their punishment. Tord then paused for a moment as he looked at the two to watch their reactions and noticed the curiosity and befuddlement in their faces so he shook his head.

“I fixed it,” the silvernette simply replied as he took out the rest of the ingredients and eyed the bag of Macaroni that Tom took out earlier that was on the table. The Norski’s mind now not focused on the conversation as he tried to flip through the recipes that he knew. Not a few seconds later, Tord found a good meal combination that would satisfy the three of them along with Edd that’s going to be forced to eat fruit and yogurt to deal with the electrolyte imbalance.

“How would you guys like Cheesy Beef and Macaroni Casserole paired with Chicken Caesar Salad?” Tord questioned as he now waited for the two to reply and got two affirmatives.

“Matt, Tom, help me wash the lettuce. All three of them; the Romaine, Baby Red Romaine and the Iceberg. I don’t want you guys complaining since you guys started this mess and the both of you agreed that you need some kitchen education.”

With some noise of protests, the three finally got to work and made their meal.

* * *

It was now night and everybody, including Edd, had finished eating.

There were some small complaints from Matt and Tom during the prep work but soon enough the two listened and they got their jobs done. That said, the past few weeks’ events had Tord thinking about a number of noticeable changes that has happened in this timeline.

In terms of personality, his friends were relatively the same save for a few slight differences.

Like, as vain and narcissistic as Matt is when he portrays himself to be, a serious look would sometimes flit on his face when he’s thinking about something. That, and Matt’s more of a touchy person towards him (but Tord easily attributed it to fact that he allowed his friends to get used to him being held by one of them and getting pulled unto their laps whenever they’d hang around and do stuff) and the man listens to him more.

Edd was still a Cola addict but, whenever Tord was mad and placed his foot down about getting less of his beverage, the brown eyed brunet would quietly comply. Another thing is that, aside from the touchiness, Edd was more protective about him that whenever a fight would happen the green hoodied man would immediately pick his side and try to defend him for some reason. For Tord, such an attitude was pretty cute and endearing. But, it kind of made him miss the Edd of the past that would have injure inducing brawls with him just for bacon.

Then last but not the least was Tom. The younger version of his former lover was so like Thomas in many ways. And yet, the man was so different. This version of the Brit was more violent when he was drunk and…He’s more of a manipulative liar as compared to Thomas. This version, at such a young age, wasn’t against the idea of killing nor did he care about other people that weren’t close to him as Tord found out years ago when he spent the two years with the Brit.

Then there’s the thing about Tom being pretty much interested in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering that made the man driven enough to self-study and be considered a genius as his online classes and the achievements he made prove to be. During those two years of them being together, Tord may have convinced the man to continue on his interests and helped him in getting his College diploma within two years. That said, for the pineapple-bowling ball hybrid to create a drug to treat sickle cell anemia without using stem cells that are more expensive is quite a feat already.

This was a show of brilliance and had Tord wondering if Thomas would have done the same if he took the same degree. However, the more he thought about it, Thomas was more into accounting and administrative work compared to this version that was pretty comfortable with being in the labs. So, Tord knew that this was another thing that they differed in.

Those were the first few things but the list could go on.

So, in conclusion Thomas Bloodfield can never truly be the same as Thomas Rodgewell. That as similar they are, they are not and will never be the same as they’re now two different people.

Then putting his friends aside, certain events have now changed.

Sure, he bought the entirety of Durdam lane and developed it into his liking. But the people in it mostly were the same save for the inhabitants of 29 Durdam lane. Tord himself personally made sure that their neighbors in that address should have been Kim and Katya so he pulled out his tablet and had his subordinates check on information and him hacking the British database.

Not an hour later, the Norwegian was bewildered to find a glaring headline stating of the two blondes’ death that happened a year ago in a car accident. Both of them were crushed by a huge truck that lost control and there was no chance of saving them since, once the first responders came, nothing more but two cold corpses and an exploded car greeted their sight.

Meanwhile, the lot of 25 Durdam lane was still empty. So, Tord then checked in on Eduardo’s crew. Fortunately, their little clique was still alive and kicking and from the way he was getting information, they were now looking for a house to stay in.

Thus, he alerted Sebastian to send someone from their group and convince them to live in this area. He didn’t care if he had to lower the lot price and make a deal about house construction. No, what Tord cared about was that at least this part should be similar in his past.

This should be the same.

Clenching his fists and taking a deep breath, Tord looked back at his tablet and tried looking for other differences, that happened without his hand, in his current one and the previous one timeline.


	51. Jon [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time Jon Kirkland saw the new house that he and his cousin, Eduardo Fernandez, were getting he couldn’t believe that they’d be able to stay in it. Compared to their old neighborhood, Durdam lane was pretty great. The neighbors were pretty nice and the place was better secured than their old place.
> 
> In short, Jon liked their new residence.

The first time Jon Kirkland saw the new house that he and his cousin, Eduardo Fernandez, were getting he couldn’t believe that they’d be able to stay in it. Like, it was a huge green painted place with two floors that has four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a modern kitchen, a living room and a garage space for three cars. That, and the place just looked really shiny like the ones you’d usually see in magazines that Jon wondered where did Eduardo get the money to get the house.

That said, Jon liked it here.

Compared to their old neighborhood, Durdam lane was pretty great. The neighbors were pretty nice and the place was better secured than their old place. Like, crime (the type that would sometimes make a person question whether humanity was just fucked up) used to happen every day in their old neighborhood. But here, the occasional weird thing happened once in a while but no one got hurt or killed.

It’s been months now and Eduardo was again trying to pick a fight with their next-door neighbor in 27 Durdam lane. Eduardo and Edward Gold was arguing about something at their respective yards that was only separated by a chest-height yellow metal fence. Their noise increasing, the other inhabitants of the two respective houses were merely watching in boredom.

Looking out of the balcony of his room that was on the second floor, Jon noticed how the silvernette of the other group was calmly smoking a cigar while drinking from a rocks glass that was full of what looked like alcohol on his own second floor balcony. Jon then somewhat remembered that that person was called Tord and found himself getting curious on why he didn’t join his other companions as they stood in support behind the Cola loving Gold.

Jon was so curious that he might have ended up staring longer than was necessary and his azure eyes met gem-like green. An arched brow was raised in his direction and the usually timid man knew what the gesture meant.

The other man was probably questioning him on why he was staring so he sheepishly gave a smile and shook his head as an answer. This then got him a bright warm smile that was probably saying that the man didn’t mind so he grinned back more warmly.

Then out of the blue, Eduardo gave a loud shout that got Jon startled. “Why the fuck aren’t you down here, Jon?”

“Quite mature you of you to drag other people into your arguments, Eduardo,” Edd sarcastically remarked which got Jon worried that his cousin might do something unspeakable.

At that, Eduardo went in a slew of Spanish insults and curses that had Jon and Mark grimacing at what they meant. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the other house frowned as they must’ve had some idea on what they meant were insults and derogatory words.

Eduardo called Jon again and as much as the azure eyed man didn’t want to do it, Jon didn’t want to upset his more violent cousin. So, he was about leave his balcony when someone unexpected shouted.

“(1) Cállate la boca! Not everyone is interested in your stupid opinions at 9 in the fucking morning. (2) Demonios, ni siquiera traigas a Jon a esto ya que el hombre obviamente no merece lidiar con tu ira.

Your cousin is obviously sick with way he is and you want him to walk down a bunch of stairs and act as your back-up!? (3) Eres delirante y un completo idiota si crees que eso sería bueno.” The silvernette shouted as he frowned disapprovingly at the man below him.

Jon’s azure eyes widened as how the other knew that he was sick. Heck, his own roommates didn’t even know his current situation which was why it was surprising that someone from the next house would know and even try to help him. Gaping at the devil horned male’s words, Jon then looked at his cousin to find Eduardo silenced and staring at him.

“Come on, Eduardo, you still want to have Jon come down? If he doesn’t want to do it; it’s his own choice. That said, do anything that might hurt him since he didn’t follow your whims. Like say, beating him up, I’ll call the cops on you and say you were doing an assault,” the gem green eyed man threatened which now had Eduardo glaring at the other as the said man smirked down. 

What Jon didn’t expect to happen was for Eduardo to back down and march back into their house. Trailing after him, Mark gave Jon a concerned look so he merely shrugged and watched as the blonde disappear to from his sight.

Turning his head to look back at the silvernette and thank him, the ill man was startled to find the other now gone. “Where is he?” Jon ended up question out loud.

“He went back inside,” his blue wearing counterpart replied and the one having ginger hair went back inside too.

“Umm…Do you need any help or medicine?” Edd seemed to ask in concern and Jon politely declined the man’s kindness.

“I’m fine. I can deal with the fever myself,” Jon replied as he went back to his room.

* * *

Tord was amused by how easy it was for Eduardo to agree to the conditions he had given him. The Hispanic man was able to get the house and lot at a low monetary price in the condition that he would have yearly check-ups and do a few things here and there for a company that was under his complete control.

Basically, Eduardo can now be considered to be under his employ. That said, the annoying Diet Cola loving man didn’t know that he’s the one giving the orders. Nor does the man know that he sold away his own privacy as the house that they’re staying was bugged to the nines.

Tord smiled at the other’s stupidity and habit of not reading the fine print of the contract along with not getting a lawyer to check on the terms and conditions. Eduardo was now a specimen of his and he couldn’t wait for the time where the other would develop his powers. To be able to get enough super powered blood samples from Eduardo…

Tord smiled at such a thought.

Nonetheless, he found himself more intrigued with Eduardo’s cousin, Jon Kirkland. After all, from his memory, this man would be the person he killed during the altercation of him trying to take back his giant robot.

Now, the aforementioned would be deceased, is acting quite rather interesting.

He might act like he’s afraid of Eduardo but Tord could definitely see some potential in the azure eyed man. The Norwegian could definitely see that the man has a sharp mind and was a quite rather good actor. What’s more, his capacity of adapting to different situations, even the attack of random monsters or weird Edd induced calamities was so good. That compared to the rest of his housemates, Jon would come out with the least amount of injuries and have the ability to retaliate if it was possible.

Tord was tempted with the idea of recruiting the man and make him part of the Red Army. The devil horned male could definitely feel that Jon has the potential to be a good field soldier, or maybe someone of higher rank, if his skills were polished and thoroughly trained.

So, after some time of deliberation, Tord decided that it wouldn’t be bad to recruit Jon Kirkland. The man has some great potential and, in the years that he was to leave to take care of the army, Jon could be his eyes, ears and hands that would handle the gang. Jon could be his field operative that’s assigned to watch over his friends.

He could use the man and change this person’s fate in the long run.

That, as much as someone still needs to die, Tord didn’t want to have this new toy of his be so shortly lived. So, Tord knew that he had to pull the man into his plans in the future and make Jon his accomplice. It was to have Jon replace himself with a clone and the clone would be the one to die.

Tord never expected that him confiscating Christopher Bingbong’s cloning notes would be useful as much as flawed they were in certain aspects. And now, in this timeline, as long as he perfects the study on clones and have a perfect clone created; he could use such in his plan. That, and the clones could be of use to him in other ways.

A grin then made its way on his face as a new plan was being made. Sure, the rest of his previous arrangements had to be readjusted. Nonetheless, this new plot of his was versatile and the cloning could be used for other purposes. Therefore, the new adjustments weren’t that bad in aspect.

“Eduardo, you stupid jerk!” Edd screamed loud enough that Tord was brought out of his schemes and heard the brown eyed brunet from the open balcony door of his room that was on the second floor.

Curious, he went out to his balcony carrying a bottle of Bourbon and a rocks glass. Tord then turned his sights on the yard area and found Edd arguing with Eduardo again.

The Norwegian simply poured himself a drink and lit a cigar as he watched the two green wearing men fight over something. That said, Tord soon felt someone staring at him so he searched for the perpetrator and found the person he was just planning about earlier looking at him.

Jon was staring at him and Tord now knew of a good way on how to approach the azure eyed man.

* * *

**Language Translations:**

(1) **_Cállate la boca!_** [Spanish] – Shut the fuck up!

(2) **_Demonios, ni siquiera traigas a Jon a esto ya que el hombre obviamente no merece lidiar con tu ira._** [Spanish] - Hell, don't even bring Jon into this since the man obviously doesn't deserve to deal with your anger.

(3) **_Eres delirante y un completo idiota si crees que eso sería bueno._** [Spanish] - You're delusional and a total idiot if you think that would be good.


	52. Jon [Part 2]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A seemingly short chapter of Tord's plans for Jon.

It was painful.

Jon felt so much pain as his fever was getting worse and the coldness that he felt wasn’t of any help. Of all things to happen that day, he never expected to have his illness become like this.

He felt so alone with the pain and heat making him incapable of moving. Hunger also added into his problem as Eduardo and Mark left after the argument this morning and decided to stay at their grandmother’s place for a few days.

Jon felt like he was going to die.

He didn’t want to die.

Not like this. Dying with his eyes closed and curled up in a pained ball.

So, as desperate as it was, he called for help.

Jon called for help over and over until his voice was hoarse. With no one coming, he was about to give up and accept his death when a fever patch was then placed on his head and he felt himself stripped. Whoever it was that was now helping him was seemingly wiping him down as he felt as if water was poured over the entirety of his body and was soon replaced by comfortable warmth.

He still couldn’t open his eyes due to being weak but the scent of cigar smoke gave him a clue on who was his savior that was redressing him. It was probably **him**. The devil horned silver hair man that liked to wear red.

“ _It was probably Tord_ ,” Jon mentally guessed as he allowed himself to be taken care of and propped against the headboard. The smell of something delicious then began to spread in the ill man’s room as the sound of containers and cutlery were being made.

“Open up,” a smooth masculine voice with an accent stated as a spoonful of something warm and slightly chewy was placed within Jon’s mouth.

Jon unintentionally moaned at the delicious taste that exploded in his mouth. The glutinous sweet rice and the chicken were blending so well that he easily swallowed it down and opened his mouth again for another.

That person who was helping simply chuckled at his antics and remarked, “I’m glad you liked the Chicken Arroz Caldo or Chicken Rice Porridge that I made. Hopefully, this would help you get back your strength.”

Humming at what he heard as to say that he liked it, Jon pretty soon finished that food that he was being fed and found himself getting sleepy. The voice that was talking to him slowly died out as the call of sleep now descended on to him.

* * *

Tord was right to see the man’s illness as an opportunity.

After taking care of Jon, the azure eyed brunet was friendlier towards him and even acknowledged Tord to be his savior even without the silvernette prompting him. Jon would willingly tell him about his own past and secrets. Heck, Jon didn’t even question Tord on how he got into their house and that itself a statement of unquestioning faith/belief.

As such, when Tord finally brought up his offer or recruiting him, it was no surprise that the usually timid man would agree. Publicly, Jon would be known to be working as an employee of some private security company when in truth he’d be employed as a field agent of Tord’s army.

For months now, Jon was being trained and things were relatively going smoothly.

So far, the azure eyed man’s progress was above satisfactory and the fearfulness that man had was slowly getting out of him. The hellish training that he had personally designed for Jon was apparently working since he wouldn’t flinch anymore when Eduardo was being a jerk and he’d be able to stage a few punches and kicks that looked like it was an accident.

That said, Tord still wondered if Jon would even go along with his cloning plan in the future. After all, as much trust the other trusted him, the Norwegian was still unconvinced that the blue wearing man would agree to such terms so readily. To have themselves temporarily replaced by a clone…That itself would be a problem if Jon the man himself got an existential crisis due to the appearance of a clone.

Shaking his head at where his thoughts were going, Tord sighed and slumped back into his bed.


	53. Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone.
> 
> To those who support and read my story, thank you for having the patience to still continue reading this fic. I know that my pace for updating has began to slow down but I do hope you would still find the interest in giving this a chance even with the slower updates. 
> 
> I mean, real life has begun to catch up to me which is why I am currently finding myself busy most of the time. Hence, my time and inspiration for this story's continuance is getting side tracked a bit.
> 
> Anyway, I apologize for the delay.

Tord felt so warm and comfortable.

The silvernette haven’t felt something like this for a long time now.

To feel so protected and loved…

Burrowing deeper in the embrace of whoever it was that was holding him, Tord heard a smooth masculine voice laugh as what felt like a chaste kiss was placed on his lips. The scent of pineapples with a touch of faint vodka made Tord’s heart beat a loud ‘Badump’ a couple of few times.

“Thomas?” The Norwegian groggily asked.

“Shh…. It’s the start of our vacation today, Princess. We don’t have to wake up early and deal with the Empire the coming two weeks,” the brunet replied as strong well-defined arms gently squeezed Tord’s sides that had the Norski opening his green gem-like eye.

It was a familiar matured face that had a pleased smile on it which greeted Tord’s sight. Thomas was gently smiling at him with his visor not on his face and the silvernette was glad to see the Brit’s dark voids staring at him.

Raising his hands, both robotic and human appendages, he traced the eyeless man’s features and Tord felt the strong urge to kiss the brunet and just savor the moment. So, kiss he did. Tord kissed Thomas and licked the other man’s lips as to silently ask for entrance.

With their tongues intertwined, Tord felt as if he was where he belonged. He felt as if he was…

The devil horned male then pulled himself back as a sudden sob found its way out of him as the sudden memory of blood on a snowy cliff during Christmas got him wondering if this was real. Was this reality or simply a dream?

The thought of permanently losing Thomas was so jarringly painful that he stared at the Brit’s dark voids and begged, “Please tell me that this is real. That you’re real.

You didn’t die that Christmas, right? I didn’t experience what it meant to go back in time and even re-do most of my life. I…You’re here with me, right?

Please….”

A sad smile then found its way in the eyeless man’s face and fight worn hands wiped the Norwegian’s tears. “I see that my gift had, fortunately, come into your possession even when I wasn’t able to give it,” he remarked.

Tord took a deep shuddering breath at such words as he closed his eyes and tried to deny the truth that was being presented to him. “No. NoNononono…..”

“My love—”

“No, stop! If you’re dead then I had failed you. Not only was I incapable of loving you back but I have also killed you. I don’t deserve to be called ‘your love.’

I don’t deserve you at all!” Tord cried as he brought his hands on his face and refused to look Thomas’ way.

“I may be dead but things have not changed on how I feel, Tord. Always know that my heart had always been yours. The day I told you that I love you and had you acknowledge the officialness of our relationship, do you remember it?”

“I—”

Thomas’ hands then pulled the Norwegian’s hands away and dark voids lovingly stared at green gems. “I said that I love you and promised that I always will. I also promised to always be by your side.

That no matter what happens and whatever people may say; I will always choose you and follow you wherever you are. No matter what obstacle or difficult things may be, I’ll always do my best to be with you.”

“And yet, you’re gone,” Tord sniffled as he looked at the Brit’s handsome face.

“I may be dead but not all is currently lost. My love for you has not changed even unto my death and with it I know I still exist,” Thomas said as he kissed the inside of both Tord’s wrists, “My existence, as fleeting as it still currently is, is somewhere and nowhere. Just enough for me to know that you care about me.”

“(1) Hva faen!? Når ble du så kryptisk og rar?” The silvernette asked as Thomas’ gesture wasn’t lost on him and made him give a tearful smile.

“(2) Jeg er ikke kryptisk, min kjærlighet. I’m just saying things from what I know. After all, as someone who was a Jehovah’s Witness believer, I find it surprising that there is actually more to things after death.” The eyeless man confessed which had Tord’s painful emotions slowly recede with the strange admission.

“Thomas….”

“My love. My dearest. My sunshine. My light and my life,” Thomas professed each word with a kiss on the face and at this Tord literally felt like his insides were melting for some reason.

To Tord it was obvious that Thomas was doing his best to distract him from the emotional pain. Yet, he wasn’t angry.

“Tom….” Tord had breathed and pulled the Brit down for a deep kiss as he mewled when a finger suddenly dipped inside of him.

“I really missed you like this. Pliant and wet for me,” the pineapple-bowling ball hybrid admitted as the single digit became two and grinned at how his fingers were getting wet as it continued to plunder the silvernette’s warm passage.

Tord then bit his lower lip in hesitation before confessing back, “Only for you. I’m only this pliant and wet for you.” Which in a sense was the truth.

After all, with all the partners that he had slept with and the people he had been in a relationship, only Thomas was the one to make him feel so differently that his own body subconsciously changed to suit what the blue wearing man wanted. For all the years they’ve been having their complicated relationship, Tord was able to notice how his chest became all the more sensitive and how his neck and the inside of his thighs became an erogenous zone that he never he had before.

Then there’s the matter of his insides.

Thomas liked to play with his insides so much that at some point it became a Pavlovian reaction for him that that part of him would automatically lubricate itself just to have the Brit’s fingers or cock deep inside of him. Honestly, it was something which Tord found pathetic and weak for his own body (and maybe his own magic, as subconscious it was back then) to betray him and be so needy.

Nonetheless, at some point, it just felt to be so natural. Like sure, when the Brit was alive Thomas would still insist that they still continue to use bottled lubricants since he didn’t want him to get hurt or anything. But, for Tord, him just being so naturally wet for the taller man actually felt so right and with the way he was currently right now was all the more making him wetter.

Heck, he was basically so needy he felt the high urge of needing to be filled.

Tord gasped at the sudden brush at his prostrate and gave a questioning look at Thomas’ smug face.

“I’m glad that you’re finally back from Lala land,” the eyeless man teased and the Norski slapped the other’s arm due to irritation.

Scowling at the other’s jabs, Tord moaned as the fingers inside of him increased and his hands now found its way on the Brit’s shoulders.

“Thomas~~~”

“Just like this, you look so ready to be fucked,” Thomas purred as he pulled out his fingers and had the silvernette on his back and his legs now spread wide open.

“Tom~!”

“Don’t worry, my love. I’ll be inside you in a minute.”

And then Tord felt himself feel complete.

The heat and fullness which was now radiating through him was making him keen and dopily grin at the Brit inside of him. Placing both of his hands on his own stomach, Tord breathed as he touched the noticeable bulge that was there, “I missed this. I miss you. Not having you inside for so long felt so…terrible.”

Thomas gave a pleased growl and earnestly began fucking the willing silvernette.

Moans and groans began filling the air and Tord was basically feeling like a bitch in heat with how he was reacting to the eyeless man’s actions. He was far into it that the silvernette didn’t care that he was loud nor about the fact that there would probably be hand shaped bruises on his hips if this whole thing was real.

“I—I’m close, Tom,” Tord panted out.

“Say that you love me,” Thomas directed as he abruptly stopped in his thrusts and earned a displeased whine from the silvernette.

“Tom~~~”

“Say it,” the Brit growled and slowly grinded against Tord’s prostrate before stopping again.

“But—”

“Say that you love me, Tord,” Thomas demanded as he held the Norwegian’s hips harder to stop Tord from squirming and continued, “Say it and I’ll make you come, my love.”

“No!” Tord vehemently protests as much as he could with a large hard dick still lodged in his ass and his mind still muddled for the need of release.

“My love, why do you have to deny it? You love me. You always had even before the time you spent after my death,” the brunet murmured at Tord’s ear.

“I—” The quivering man started but stopped as he closed his eyes and turned his head away.

Thomas then momentarily sighed before he started moving again, but in a slow paced manner. “Come on, Tord. Just admit it already that you love me.”

Giving a hard and deep push to his thrust, Thomas watched as Tord suddenly gasped and clawed at the sheets. “Say it. Say that you love me. Say it for me,”

“Tom….”

“Tord.”

Weakly opening his eye, Tord was about to refuse again when the eyeless bastard suddenly said something that made him cave. “Please, Tord. Please tell me that you love me…I know that you do. Please, I just—Say it for me please, Tord. After all, if what you feel for me isn’t love, then what is it?”

The first time Tord said it, it was quite rather weak and more of a quiet whisper. That said, the thrust it got him from Thomas was fast and hard enough that it made him scream. Which in turn those three words became babbles later on during the duo’s coupling since it got the brunet to fuck him harder.

“I love you, Thomas. I love youIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou…”

“Ah, Fuck, Tord,” the Brit moaned as hips were railing the now pleasure filled silvernette.

Not a few minutes later, both men came and Tord was trembling so badly that he felt as if his head was stuffed with cotton that he could only weakly call out, “Tom….”

Forcing his eye to remain open, the last thing Tord remembered hearing was, “Think about it, Tord. Do you really not love me?”

* * *

**Language Translations:**

**_(1) Hva_ _faen!? Når ble du så kryptisk og rar?_** [Norwegian] - What the fuck!? When did you become so cryptic and weird?

 ** _(2) Jeg er ikke kryptisk, min kjærlighet._** [Norwegian] - I'm not being cryptic, my love.


	54. Cliff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang just finished having another death-defying adventure and Tord has an epiphany of sorts.

Edd could feel as if something was definitely wrong.

During the whole adventure that they had, he noticed how Tord was limping but the silvernette seemed to hardly realize this at all. That, and the Norwegian kept on glancing at Tom from time to time which was the reason why Tord nearly got himself killed a couple of times.

It was quite rather fortunate enough that Tom would-be right-on time to save the Norski during those moments. What’s more, that instead of the usual bouts of anger or annoyance he’d see his cousin have when dealing with Tord, the blue wearing man appeared to be concerned about the devil horned man’s situation. 

The whole thing just felt so off that Edd couldn’t properly enjoy the aftermath of another death-defying experience adventure. Which was why, once they got home, he simply flopped down unto the main living room’s sofa and looked out into the back yard.

Not long after, Matt came in. But what bothered Edd was that his other two friends weren’t anywhere in his sights.

“Matt, where’s Tom and Tord?”

“Oh, the both of them went out and decided to hike towards the cliff. You know, the one that overlooks Durdam lane,” Matt replied as he headed towards the kitchen and wash his hands.

“Wait, you mean Lover’s cliff!? Why would Tom and Tord head to that place?”

“I don’t know,” Matt shrugged as he walked back into the living room with a glass of orange juice and continued, “Tom just dragged Tord there and they said that they needed some space or something.

“Space!? How could you believe that kind of bullshit, Matt!? We both know that those two idiots have some kind of history that they aren’t willing to tell us for some reason. Heck, for the past few months they were pretty much close enough to killing each other.

Which is why, I’m asking you on why you thought it would be okay for you to let Tom just drag Tord off when it was glaringly obvious that our Norwegian friend was too preoccupied by something!?”

The sound of broken glass was then abruptly heard after the Cola addict’s words as the ginger threw his empty glass onto the far wall and snapped back, “You think that I’m not worried!? I know that something’s wrong, Edd.

Fuck, I knew about it for a long time now!

I know that whatever it is that’s going on between Tom and Tord has been going on since we were children and it’s even the reason why Tord would end disappearing for years on and off. To be exact, the only times that Tord would come back to us is when Tord’s already over whatever Tom did.”

“What do you mean, Matt?” Edd questioned as he felt something in his stomach drop in coldness.

“What I mean to say is that whatever’s happening to those two is something we shouldn’t interfere with, Edd!” Matt all but screamed out as he began pacing and continued, “You of all people should realize that the only reason that Tord’s putting up with us, particularly you, is because of Tom!

Tord’s willing to put up with your weird shit because of the fact that you’re Tom’s cousin and that Tom means something to him. Which is why, we should just sit this one out and let the two of them handle their own thing without butting in.”

The brown eyed male scowled at such words and rebutted, “What nonsense! Tord is our friend. He treats us equally and because of that we should worry about him. We both know—”

“Shut the fuck up, Edd!”

“Matt—”

“Shut it! I don’t want to hear things, Edd.

I may be a known narcist but at least I know when to stop and understand that not all things revolve around me. This isn’t just your world, Edd. After all, if it was, then our world wouldn’t be called Earth. Instead it would simply be known as ‘Edd’s World’!”

Somehow, Edd found himself getting insulted by the ginger’s words and felt that the world being his wasn’t really far from the truth with all the adventure he was getting. Hell, the Cola addict himself felt as if he’s the protagonist of his own movie with all the things he experienced which was why what Matt said felt wrong.

It really felt wrong.

That said, as the brown eyed man was about to say his rebuttal, the loud sound of a ringing phone sounded out.

* * *

Tord felt as if something was odd that day.

First of all, he woke up to find his underwear and sheets ruined because of some weird dream that he just had. Second, was that the dream felt too oddly real since when he tried to get up, he couldn’t properly have the strength to even sit up. The pain that his back felt at that moment was all too familiar as if he had just received a very thorough fucking. Lastly, there was Thomas words.

The whole dream had Tord thinking about the fact whether he really loved Thomas since the brunet’s words really had gotten to him. In that dream, as he called out the eyeless man’s name and repeatedly told him that he loved him, Tord felt…

Tord felt as if it was the right thing to do.

Saying it over and over again as Thomas, no, as Tom made love to him felt so right that it had him thinking whether he truly loved the man all this time. Which was why, as much as the day went on and he tried focusing himself on the current day’s adventures, Tord couldn’t stop himself from getting distracted and contemplating about his feeling for the eyeless Brit.

Tord couldn’t stop himself from thinking over things and distractingly staring at the current version of Tom that he had most of the time during their adventure.

Shaking his head, Tord took a breath and sighed out his problems.

“You okay?” A deep masculine voice asked out which had the Norwegian tensing and looking at the owner of the said voice.

Green gem-like eyes blinked for a couple of moments before Tord was able to register that it was simply Tom and that they were now somewhere over looking Durdam lane. “Are we really on the place which I’m thinking?” Tord queried as he ran his hand on his silver hair that had devil horn spikes on it.

“Yes, Tord. We’re on Lover’s cliff,” Tom responded blandly as his black voids stared at exhausted green gem-like orbs and continued, “That said, you must be preoccupied enough of what’s in your mind since you haven’t even objected or noticed that I had dragged you here.”

“Yes, Tom. I am pretty much preoccupied by whatever it is in my mind,” Tord simply answered back as he felt like he was having some kind of déjà vu while watching the spiky haired brunet standing near the cliff’s edge.

The sunset before them was casting everything in its path light. Hues of pink, orange and yellow were cast upon the sky but red sunlight was now dabbling its light upon Tom’s figure.

Tord ended up gasping at the sight as it brought back the memories of times of old. It brought back the memories of a certain Christmas day.

The two of them were watching a sunset on a cliff. Thomas was standing close to its edge and red light was casting itself on the Brit. Snow was falling on the white covered ground and the eyeless man turned his head towards him with a fond expression on his face.

Tord gasped as the two images, the past and the present, seemed to overlap and his heart began to beat rapidly. His thoughts also began to race and just as quick as it appeared soon enough everything stopped to a standstill with a sudden realization he had.

“Tord, are you okay?” Tom asked with a concerned look on his face as the silvernette had been too still for the past few minutes now after his gasp. Tord was far too still and the brunet felt like the other was hardly even breathing now. Which was why, as Tom walked closer, he was surprised to hear the Norski exclaim, “What the fuck!?”, before he collapsed.


	55. Exhaustion and Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone ends up being possessive and Tord gives in.

Tom was worried sick.

Something was definitely wrong since Tord suddenly lost consciousness while they were on Lover’s cliff. Which was why, the eyeless Brit was forced to run back to their home while he carried the devil horned male in a bridal carry and cursed all the luck that he had for even suggesting to hike with the possibly injured Norwegian.

_Fuck._

_Why did I have to drag him here now? Why couldn’t I have waited longer?_

_It was obvious that there was something wrong with him. After all, he’d been limping even before our whole adventure started today._

Aside from those things, a few other thoughts came into his mind. Nonetheless, as the view of their home got closer, Tom was willing to cease his worrisome thinking and instead focus on the fact that Tord needed some help.

Tord needed treatment as soon as possible.

* * *

Somehow, Tord felt so sticky and sore.

Last that he remembered was that he was on Lover’s cliff with Tom and he suddenly had an epiphany or understanding of sorts that he indeed loves the annoying eyeless man. Which was why, he may have had a slight panic attack of sorts for the sudden discovery and ended up forgetting how to breathe.

That being the case, what Tord couldn’t understand was why Edd, Matt and Tom were looking at him as if he was some kind of weird specimen. Like, Edd and Matt appeared like they were concerned and intrigued about him. Meanwhile, Tom had this closed off expression on his face that was supposed to not show anything. But, for Tord who had lived long enough with two versions of the eyeless Brit, he knew that Tom was really furious for some reason and was trying his best to contain his anger.

“Umm…Guys? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Care to explain to us why are you covered in bruises, bite marks and the traces of someone’s seed?” Tom said in an all too accusing tone which had Tord blinking owlishly.

“What!?”

“We kind of checked your body when you were unconscious, Tord,” Matt awkwardly explained as he rubbed the back of his head and looked away from the silvernette’s questioning eyes.

“We saw everything that was underneath your clothes and…Those marks were hardly anything pretty,” Edd added in as he seemed to be staring at the Norwegian’s torso with such intensity.

“I—Umm…Look, whatever it is you’re thinking, I wasn’t raped or anything,” Tord corrected as he tried sitting up and realized that he was actually naked as the day he was born.

Closing his green gem-like eyes as a means to tamper down his own surprise and embarrassment, the devil horned male took a deep breath to center himself and asked as he opened his eyes, “Why am I naked?”

“We needed to check whether you had injuries on you, Commie. That said, it was to our surprise to find you all messed up like this,” Tom pointed out scathingly before closing in and taking hold of Tord’s wrist which had a few littered hickies on it.

Tord then eyed at what they were mentioning and noticed how he really was covered by such marks. Heck, the Norwegian can even vaguely feel what may be semen drip out of his ass. Which in turn made Tord curse Thomas in his head and complain about the fact on why did his deceased fiancé decide to leave such alarming and obvious marks on him.

Of all times such things it could have happened, it occurs during such a decidedly disastrous day which was hardly helping Tord keep his sanity intact. What’s more, Tord was still processing the fact that he did love Thomas and he still have feelings for the man which he may have been unfairly projecting towards Tom for some time now.

Everything was now all a mess for Tord and to find himself given some weirdly disturbing proof that his fiancé may still be existing in some plane or what not was making Tord slowly lose his composure.

“Tord? Tord!?” Edd called out to him which had the Norski again blink his eyes and pull back the wrist which Tom was holding onto.

“Look, thank you for being worried about me and all that guys. That said, get the fuck out of my room,” Tord tiredly stated as he used the arm which Tom held to cover his face and slump back to his bed.

“But, Tord!” Matt shouted in complaint.

“Okay, I think that we should just go and follow what the Commie wants,” Tom suggested as he walked away and the sound of a door being opened rang out.

“But—”

“Matt, Edd, please….,” Tord pleaded in exhaustion.

As such, the two other men finally decided to leave and the troubled Norwegian was now given the chance to stew in his troubled thoughts.

* * *

It was cool.

A slightly damp cloth was being wiped on his skin and Tord was quite rather grateful towards the person who was currently taking care of him. The day’s adventure and the soreness he received from his mystical dalliance really got to him that the silvernette knew that at some point he ended up falling asleep due to exhaustion.

That said, as much as he wanted to continue sleeping, the more rational side of his nagged him to wake up and stop whoever it was that was touching him.

“I know that you’re awake, Tord,” the familiar voice remarked which had the still naked man press himself closer to the mattress and groan, “Why are you even in my room, Tom?”

“Someone needed to make sure you were okay,” the other simply replied as he forced Norwegian to lay flat on his back. The wet cloth was now being wiped down on Tord’s chest and the eyeless man couldn’t stop himself from frowning in displeasure due to the marks he was seeing.

“Tom, stop it already with the angry stares. I can basically feel the tension you’re giving out and, right now, I want nothing to do with it.” Tord admonished as he opened his green gem-like eyes.

“Who did you do it with?”

“Tom—”

“Stop with the excuses, Tord. I want to know who did this to you. I want to know how this happened when we all know that you haven’t even left the house last night.”

“Excuses!?” Sitting up at such words, Tord glowered at Tom and retorted, “What happened to me is none of your concern since we’re not even in a relationship, Jehovah!

So, stop it already with the weird righteous possessive act you’re putting up. How I ended up looking the way I am shouldn’t bother you.”

Tom had momentarily gone stiff for a few seconds before a loud growl rang out the room and Tord suddenly found himself being bodily pinned by a very livid eyeless Brit.

“It bothers me since it comprised you during our usual adventures. It bothers me since some bloody fucking rando laid their hands on you and you allowed them to do so! It bothers me since I’m not the one to leave such marks on you!” Tom all but screamed in front of Tord’s face and the Norwegian was forced to understand that this version of the eyeless man was just as possessive if not more uncontrolled with his urges.

The two eyeless men at that moment seemed to overlap each other. Not just their appearances but also their identities.

Confused yet yearning, when Tom came closer to his face and forced him for a kiss, the silvernette submitted and finally allowed the Brit to have him. Closing his green gem like eyes, Tord told himself that doing so was the right thing to do.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked it.
> 
> Nonetheless, if any of you have any comments, suggestions or anything at all, I'm open to here your thoughts.


End file.
